Concordia University Magazine - Fall 2009 by Concordia University

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The John Molson School of Business moves into its new home

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GROUP HOME AND AUTO INSURANCE for members of the Concordia University Alumni Association u n i v e r s i t y fall 2009

volume 32

number 3

Open for business For the first time, John Molson School of Business students and faculty and staff members can enjoy a home of their own.

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8 Cover: The John Molson School of Business building.

Looking out for the overlooked

Credit: Marion Elissalde

Award-winning Concordia researcher and activist Viviane Namaste works to enhance HIV/AIDS-prevention information for communities outside the mainstream.

By Julie Gedeon

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Alumni profile Finger on the pulse of health policy activism

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University of Ottawa Political Science Professor Michael Orsini, BA 91, MA 96, examines the growing influence of healthcare activists.

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Editor’s Voice

LETTERS

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Con cordia News

Association N ews

Class Acts

enough said

by Patrick McDonagh

22 Great grads We introduce you to eight of Concordia’s best and brightest new graduates.

Look for your winter 2009/10 issue online In an effort to go green and cut costs, the Concordia University Magazine’s winter 2009/10 issue will appear online only at magazine.concordia.ca. We will notify readers by email when the issue goes live. To make sure we have your updated contact information, send an email to alumni@concordia.ca or visit alumni.concordia.ca. The online winter 2009/10 issue will feature the following stories: n Concordia’s Olympic connections n The 2010 Congress of the Humanities and Social

Sciences to be held at Concordia n The research of Concordia Psychology professor William The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex home and auto insurance program is underwritten by SECURITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY and distributed by Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in Québec and by Meloche Monnex Financial Services Inc. in the rest of Canada. Due to provincial legislation, our auto insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan. *No purchase required. Contest ends on January 16, 2010. Skill-testing question required. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Complete contest rules available at MelocheMonnex.com. Meloche Monnex® is a trade-mark of Meloche Monnex Inc. TD Insurance is a trade-mark of The Toronto-Dominion Bank, used under license.

Bukowski on how peer relations contribute to children’s emotional and social development n Digital artist LiQin Tan, MFA 93, associate professor of Art at Rutgers University in Camden, N.J.

Our 2009 graduates, from left to right: Mohammad Asgar Khan, MASc (mech. eng.) 09; Mei Mei Zhang, MSc (admin.) 09; Jianguo Wu, MSc (admin.) 09; and Patrizia Scali, BSc (exer. sci) 09.

Wenhao Wenhao Bao, Bao, BABA (statistics) (statistics) 0707 Elvina Elvina Koay, Koay, BABA (Eng.) (Eng.) 03,03, MAMA (Eng.) (Eng.) 0707 Phyllis Phyllis Kung, Kung, BSc BSc (biochem.) (biochem.) 0707 Daniel Daniel Piech, Piech, BABA (econ.) (econ.) 0707

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Editor’sVoice

Cheers to your health

ormer United States president George W. Bush left a mixed legacy, to be charitable. But Bush got at least one thing right: in 2003, he created the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which has injected billions of dollars into the fight against AIDS in Africa and elsewhere and allowed more than one million people to be treated for the virus. As a result, he and his wife, Laura, received the 2009 Leadership Award in May from the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative. The Bushes join Canadian Stephen Lewis, the former United Nations envoy for AIDS in Africa, on the impressive list of award recipients. It’s really not all that surprising that Bush and now, his successor, Barak Obama, are grappling with healthcare issues. Obama is trying to revamp the U.S. health insurance system, which is making many Americans nervous about the future quality of their healthcare. Of course, health and healthcare are also primary concerns for Canadians and others around the world. In 2007, HIV/AIDS caused more than 2 million deaths worldwide compared with coronary heart disease, the number-one killer that felled 7.2 million, according to the World Health Organization. We can now add the H1N1 influenza, mad cow disease, avian flu and others to the inventory of health threats. It’s a propos, then, that the themes of health and government health policy are prominent in this issue of Concordia University Magazine. Our faculty profile features Viviane Namaste, an associate professor and research chair in HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health at Concordia’s Simone de Beauvoir Institute (see “Looking out for the overlooked,” page 14). Namaste seeks to expand

the educational scope and access to information and services for HIV/ AIDS and sexually transmitted disease prevention. She works with groups that often fall below the public-health radar, including transsexuals, bisexuals and swingers. As she told Concordia University Magazine, Namaste strives to convert her academic findings into action by delivering to affected communities accurate and tailored information through, for example, advertising campaigns and websites, and advocating for government policy changes. Namaste’s type of advocacy is a research focus for Michael Orsini, BA 91, MA 96, who is this issue’s alumni profile (see “Assessing the

health of health-policy activism,” page 18). Orsini is an associate professor of Political Science at the University of Ottawa. His research looks into the increasing presence and influence of healthcare activists who support efforts to alleviate afflictions that include autism and HIV/AIDS. Both Orsini and Namaste agree that while most people are not directly affected by ailments such as autism or HIV/ AIDS, government health policy, which includes defining how resources are allocated and developing strategies to control the prevention and spread of diseases, affect all of us. Our cover story features the impressive, new John Molson School of Business (JMSB) building (see “Open for business,” page 8). Many of you will remember the empty lot that stood on the corner of De Maisonneuve Boulevard and Guy Street from 1997 until 2006. On that lot now stands a 15-storey, glass-and-steel, eco-friendly structure that Concordia’s facilities management team brought to fruition in just two and a half years—and under budget. It will be the first time all JMSB classes and offices and its nearly 8,000 undergraduates and graduates will be housed under one roof. JMSB Dean Sanjay Sharma told me that while students will benefit from modern classrooms and study areas, learning and working in one venue will also bring students, professors and staff members closer together as a community. The prognosis for both the new facility and Concordia’s business school is upbeat. Concordia University Magazine’ Magazine’s winter 2009/10 issue will appear online only at magazine.concordia.ca. See the table of contents page for more details. concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 3

Letters Doing good in South Africa

he alumni profiles, “Doing good for others” (Summer 2009), stole my heart! I recently signed up to volunteer in South Africa with the help of Cross-Cultural Solutions, a non-profit organization that operates volunteer programs lasting from one to 12 weeks in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. From a very young age, I knew that one day my life would be filled with not one, not two, but hundreds of kids. It took me years to voice this dream. For the past two years, I committed to finding a way to make this dream a reality.

bunk beds included!). Although volunteers are dispatched to various placements, time is set aside each day for cultural and learning activities, such as language classes in isiXhosa and Afrikaans, discussions with guest speakers on topics such as the origins, history, and legacy of apartheid, the liberation struggle, its heroes, HIV/AIDS and other social challenges in South Africa. Thanks for shining the spotlight on such stories, particularly Wilhelmina Fredericks’s “Scaling Kilimanjaro for kids.” It confirms my belief that we are more alike than we are different and that my contribution, no matter how small, is a step forward.

Foundation does incredible work at the grassroots level in 15 sub-Saharan countries on the African continent, focusing on women, orphans, grandmothers and people living with HIV and AIDS. Our group has more than 70 members and in our first year we raised more than $25,000. (Since our goal was $5,000, I think we did rather well.) It makes me proud to be part of the long link of Concordia graduates like Wilhelmina Fredericks who are reaching out to make this a better world. Thank you for showing that our graduates give rather than get. H. Carol Schmidt, S BA 61 Kitchener-Waterloo

Pascale Bijoux, BA 95 Montreal

En français Grandmothers to grandmothers

After months of research, a few sleepless nights and some very brutal self-assessment, I decided to volunteer in South Africa because of the richness of its history and the resilience of its people. I will head to Cape Town in December. My exact placement facility has yet to be confirmed but I may work in an orphanage, hospital, school, elder-care facility or with any other group needing urgent and immediate assistance. While in Cape Town, I will live and work with 10 to 15 other volunteers from Canada and elsewhere. All volunteers bunk together at what is known as Homebase (this will be like summer camp all over again— 4 | fall 2009

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he Summer 2009 Concordia University Magazine was one of the most interesting I received over the years. I enjoyed the article called “Doing good for others” and the piece about Wilhelmina Fredericks especially caught and held my attention. In April 2008, my friend, Hilary Walsh, and I started a Grandmothers group in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. We are among nearly 240 groups of Canadian grandmothers raising money for the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign (grandmotherscampaigns.org) of the Stephen Lewis Foundation (stephenlewisfoundation.org). The

just wanted to express my satisfaction for the French article called “L’art de motive son personnel” (Summer 2009). As a francophone Concordia alumnus, it was much appreciated. Marc Roy, BComm 08 Laval, Que.

Concordia University Magazine welcomes readers’ comments. letters should include the writer’s full name, address, school(s), degree(s) and year(s) of graduation for alumni. letters may be selected and edited for length, style and appropriateness. No letter will be published without the full name of the correspondent. Correspondence should be sent to:

this publication is printed on 100% recycled paper, including 20% post consumer waste. For each ton of recycled paper that displaces a ton of virgin paper, it reduces total energy consumption by 27%, greenhouse gas emissions by 47%, particulate emissions by 28%, wastewater by 33%, solid waste by 54% and wood use by 100%.

The Editor Concordia University Magazine 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. West Montreal, QC H3G 1M8 Fax: 514-848-4510 email: Howard.Bokser@concordia.ca website: magazine.concordia.ca

Letters

Pascale Bijoux, BA 95 Montreal

En français Grandmothers to grandmothers

concordia university magazine

Looking forward to our new season

or most of us, summer came late but then struck with a vengeance. As the days get shorter and temperatures drop, there are fewer regrets in the university world than elsewhere. We are now moving toward our belle saison of vibrant colours, new faces beaming with anticipation, and a sense of excitement— as well as a nip—in the air. And while I can no longer claim to be Concordia’s “new” president, there’s so much that’s shiny, new and innovative at the university that I, too, revel in the fresh start. Highlighted in this issue, the new home for the John Molson School of Business opens its doors this month to much fanfare and many kudos. Elegant, airy, spacious and energy efficient, it will stand as a landmark and symbol of the ever-increasing quality of the programs it houses. As usual, we are pleased to introduce you to some of the most stellar members of the Concordia family. We are proud of the accomplishments of faculty members and great grads, which you will read about in these pages. Speaking of grads, we are planning an action-packed Homecoming for the benefit of returning alumni and members of the university community. We will feature a series of athletic, cultural and social events, including the third annual Family Fair Day, which we expect to attract up to 2,000 neighbours and friends for a day of fun on the Loyola Campus. Amid the celebrations, we will be hard at work orienting new faculty members and students. We are also setting the

Daniel F. Haber

Doing good in South Africa

President’sMessage

Concordia President and Vice-Chancellor Judith Woodsworth addressing Sir George Williams, Loyola and Concordia graduates from the years 1963, 1968, 1973 and 1978 at the President’s Reunion Brunch September 27, 2008, during Homecoming festivities. Woodsworth is looking forward to the new school year and the upcoming Homecoming festivities.

course for the next few years, as we identify the actions that will be taken across the university to achieve the goals set out in “Reaching Up, Reaching Out,” the university’s strategic framework. Keep your eyes peeled for further developments. I look forward to seeing you at Homecoming, the many alumni activities at home and away that are planned for the coming year, and— where most of you are concerned— simply around town and on campus. As always, I invite you to say “hi” and introduce, or re-introduce, yourselves. Until then, have a great fall, et bonne rentrée!

S AV e T H e D A T e President’s conference series:

“every Breath You Take: Surveillance, Security and the end of Privacy” Wednesday, November 4, 2009 Visit concordia.ca/ presidentsconferences for updates

Correspondence should be sent to:

The Editor

published without the full name of the correspondent.

Concordia University Magazine 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. West Montreal, QC H3G 1M8 Fax: 514-848-4510 email: Howard.Bokser@concordia.ca website: magazine.concordia.ca

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Concordia University Magazine is published four times a year for alumni and friends of Concordia University. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the alumni associations or of the University. ISSN 0706-1005

Dépôt légal : Bibliothèque nationale du Québec. ©2009. Printed in Canada. Please address editorial correspondence to: The Editor, Howard Bokser For advertising information, call 514-848-2424, ext. 3819. Canada Post Corporation publication

mail agreement # 40065749 Editorial Board Howard Bokser, editor and chair. Members: Sami antaki, John aylen, Susan Elias, linda Kay, lucy Niro, Nicole Saltiel, Sandra-lynn Spina, Donna Varrica, Xurxo Vidal. Graphic Design: Concordia Marketing Communications, P100188. art Direction: Christopher alleyne

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ConcordiaNews News Philanthropic Concordia grads at Ernst & Young contribute to JMSB building fund

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ryan blau, Pbl PHotograPHy

he first gift announcement ceremony in the new home of the John Molson School of Business (JMSB) was held on July 9, when professional services firm Ernst & Young and its employees who are Concordia alumni announced a donation of $315,000 to the JMSB Building Fund. In recognition of the gift, a 150-seat classroom in the building was named the Ernst & Young Amphitheatre. The classroom features sophisticated technology and teaching resources, such as ceiling-mounted digital projection, three-zone lighting and a motorized projection screen. Kathy Assayag, Concordia vicepresident of Advancement and Alumni Relations, told the 50 or so guests at the ceremony that the university valued Ernst & Young’s longstanding support and partnership. She thanked Chairman and CEO Lou Pagnutti and Senior Partner Ted Di Giorgio, BComm 86, GrDip (acct.) 88, for spearheading an internal fundraising campaign. Di Giorgio persuaded senior management to match funds raised by Concordia graduates working for Ernst & Young. Describing Concordia as a “wonderful institution,” Pagnutti said alumni “are proud of the education they received and are eager to give back to the school that helped launch their careers.” He added that Ernst & Young is “very proud to support the growth of a new generation of business leaders. The Ernst & Young Amphitheatre will be a wonderful place for Concordia students to learn and develop innovative ideas that will chart a new course for Canadian business.” Concordia President and ViceChancellor Judith Woodsworth, who noted that she met Pagnutti when she served as president of Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ont., his home

ernst & Young team members, from left to right in the back row: Patrick Taza, BComm 96; Soula Kitsos, GrDip 95; Michelina Lanni, BComm 87; Albert Anelli, GrDip 93; Michael La Salle; Rod Budd, S BComm 74; Alfred Zorzi, BComm 85; Georgia Tournas, GrDip 00; edith Hitt, BComm 06; Tammy Mio, BComm 90; and Aline Aswa, BComm 03. Holding the cheque from left to right: Lou Pagnutti, chairman & CeO, ernst & Young; Ted Di Giorgio, senior partner, ernst & Young; Sanjay Sharma, dean, Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business; and Judith Woodsworth, president and vice-chancellor, Concordia University.

town, said this gift “reaffirms [Ernst & Young’s] steadfast confidence in the university and the JMSB.” She added that Concordia will continue to educate students in “an effective and responsible way” to ensure “we remain committed to the companies and professions we serve.” JMSB Dean Sanjay Sharma also thanked Ernst & Young for the vote of confidence in its students and programs. Sharma said the new amphitheatre will provide “cutting-edge learning facilities” and support “an outstanding academic experience.” —Staff

Concordia first Quebec university to support Project Hero

oncordia announced July 14 that it established a scholarship, called Project Hero to provide financial assistance to children of Canadian Forces personnel who were killed while serving in an active military mission. Memorial University in Newfoundland, the University of Ottawa, the University of Windsor and the University of Calgary will also offer Project Hero scholarships. “I am proud to announce Concordia is the first Quebec university to

support this initiative,” said Concordia President and Vice-Chancellor Judith Woodsworth. “Joining Project Hero is a fitting way to honour the memory of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice through military service. I would like to thank Andrew Molson, a long-time friend of Concordia University and a member of our Board of Governors, for bringing this worthy cause to our attention.” Molson, vice chairman of Molson Coors Brewing Company, said he was determined to drum up support for this worthy cause. “I am also proud to represent the Royal Montreal Regiment as Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel and, in that capacity, I heartily endorse actions that further recognize the devotion to duty of the women and men in the Canadian Forces,” he said. Scholarships will be given to dependent children of Canadian Forces members who were killed while serving in an active mission dating back to February 2002, the start of Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. Scholarships will be worth $2,000 per year for a maximum of four years. To be eligible, candidates must be: n 26 years old or younger n Citizens or permanent residents of Canada n Full-time students enrolled at concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 7

ConcordiaNews Philanthropic Concordia grads at Ernst & Young contribute to JMSB building fund

Concordia first Quebec university to support Project Hero

Concordia composter wins Quality & Productivity award

he Canadian Association of University Business Offices has awarded Concordia a Quality & Productivity Award for its large-scale, on-site composting system. The Quality

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& Productivity Awards program is aimed at promoting excellence and innovation in higher education. Concordia began using the new composting system in 2008, making it the only Quebec public or private institution to collect organic waste on this scale and compost it on site. Thanks to the system located on the Loyola Campus, within Concordia’s award-winning composting system on the Loyola Campus five years, Concordia will compost 100 tonnes of Every tonne of organic waste organic waste annually. composted on site saves two tonnes of The university’s previous composting greenhouse gas emissions and decreases systems could only handle fruit and acid-rain and smog by cutting down on vegetable waste. The new and larger transportation. The compost is used to automated thermophilic system also fertilize the campus green spaces. allows for the processing of dairy, meat For more information, visit sustainable. concordia.ca. and grain products. —Staff

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Concordia University in a course of study leading to an undergraduate degree. “I am delighted Concordia University is throwing its support behind us,” said Kevin Reed, honorary lieutenantcolonel of the 31 Brigade, Service Units, and vice chairman of Grey Horse Corp. “We launched Project Hero with the hope that it would find support with post-secondary institutions right across Canada. Concordia is a valuable link in the national network of universities that continues to expand.” —Staff

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John Molson School of Business students and faculty members will reap the benefits of a spectacular new building in the heart of the Sir George Williams Campus.

f the three tenets of real estate really are location, location, location, then Concordia’s John Molson School of Business (JMSB) has definitely upped its worth. The JMSB’s impressive, $118.5-million building on De Maisonneuve Boulevard and Guy Street opened its doors this summer to faculty and staff members and welcomed nearly 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students in September. JMSB Dean Sanjay Sharma points out that all the business school’s classes, research labs and offices are finally under one roof. “For the first time, the John Molson School of Business has a home,” Sharma says. Even before the move, the JMSB was earning a worldwide reputation for excellence. The school ranked first in Canada in 2007, 2008 and 2009 in terms of graduates occupying the rank of Chief Executive Officer at Fortune 500 companies, according to survey results by the École des Mines de Paris. The school’s MBA program sits first in Quebec and third nationally among 35 Canadian MBA programs that integrate sustainability into the school experience, as indicated by the sixth annual Knights School Survey results that were published in June in Corporate Knights Magazine. Sharma adds that the business school’s top-flight facilities are now on par with its high-calibre

academic standing. “There is already much for us to be proud of. We’re top notch in so many areas, such as faculty research and student successes,” Sharma says. “It would be difficult to find a school that has had a similar string of successes in international case competitions.” The JMSB’s brand equity will be bolstered by its new home, says Harold Simpkins, senior lecturer in Marketing and academic director of the Marketing Co-op Program. “We interview every

students in the JMSB (originally known as the Faculty of Commerce and Administration) trekked to classes across both campuses. What’s more, Dean Sharma says classrooms in the Hall Building and scattered among other locations often didn’t meet technological requirements or were too small. “You not only had 40 students crammed into 30- or 35-seat rooms but in many of the rooms, there were pillars blocking the view of the board,” Sharma explains. The new building was designed and built to meet the needs of students, faculty and staff members who will have easy access to its 45 modern classrooms, most of which seat 60 people (see sidebar, “Go with the student flow”). The facility also boasts seven amphitheatres (there used to be one amphitheatre for the Executive MBA and another for the Aviation MBA in the Guy Metro Building) and about 50 smaller, group-study rooms for students. All the classrooms are equipped with sliding blackboards, high-definition projectors and screens, audio-visual equipment and sound insulation. Many of the rooms are fitted with horseshoe-shaped seating aimed at facilitating students’ in-class case work and presentations, which, Sharma says, are integral to the School’s curriculum. Harold Simpkins says the new

student for the Co-op Program and 80 percent have said they’re looking forward to being in the new building,” Simpkins says. Marketing professor Gad Saad echoes this sentiment. “Given the growing prestige and stature of the JMSB, it’s nice to have a building that is commensurate with our path of ascendancy,” Saad says.

Home at last Despite its long history at the university, the JMSB has never had a building of its own. Concordia’s business school has its roots in the founding institutions of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University. After the institutions merged in 1974 to form Concordia,

OPEN FOR 8 | fall 2009

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Marion elissalDe

For the first time, the John Molson school of Business has a home.

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John Molson School of Business students and faculty members will reap the benefits of a spectacular new building in the heart of the Sir George Williams Campus.

Marion elissal lissalDe

For the first time, the John Molson school of Business has a home.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS 8 | fall 2009

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The Molson connection Faculty of Commerce and administration as the John Molson School of Business in honour of the Molson family’s longstanding support of the school and university. John Molson (1763-1836), founder of Molson Brewery, was a Montreal entrepreneur and philanthropist. among Molson’s string of accomplishments, he contributed to the construction of the Theatre Royal, the city’s first theatre, helped found the Montreal General Hospital and sat on the lower Canada legislative assembly. Over the years, John Molson’s descendants have been involved with Concordia in various capacities. Eric Molson, llD 06, past chairman of Molson Coors Brewing Company, served as Concordia’s chancellor from 1993 to 2005. The JMSB awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2006. His son, andrew T. Molson, is a member of Concordia’s Board of Governors, as well as vice-chairman, legal affairs & Corporate Secretary, for National Public Relations in Montreal and

classrooms’ technology and design will also make it more conducive to teaching. “For my advertising and marketing communications courses, the access to high-definition projectors and screens will be a big step up,” Simpkins says. Third-year Management student Chris Calkins says he attended many courses in uncomfortable or technically inferior settings. “These new classrooms will be a great improvement. I’m really excited to study here,” Calkins says. Sharma adds that university administrators and planners poured a lot of time and effort into studying designs, lobbying governments and fundraising to bring the JMSB building to fruition. They visited about a dozen business schools in Canada and the United States, including the one at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., to determine what a 21st-century business school ought to look and feel like. Peter Bolla, associate vice-president of Concordia’s Facilities Management,

says the end result raises the architectural bar at the university. “It is probably the best place for students and faculty members in terms of space—especially public space—of all our buildings,” Bolla says. “The lobbies and student and staff lounges take advantage of the public space available, using the outside walls and windows to their fullest. There are great views of the streets and lots of natural light.” Students can look forward to other improvements, including better access to the Commerce and Administration Students’ Association (CASA), says president Lea Zimmerman. “The opening of the new building has done wonders for CASA as we enter into our 25th year. Our offices used to be hidden away in the GM Building. When someone came in to buy a ticket for an event, it was a shock,” Zimmerman admits. “Now, we’re in a centralized location on the fourth floor. We’ll be able to easily promote our events and services, such as our students’ computer

also pledged $500,000 and a room on the 11th floor will be named in honour of JMSB alumni. The chief private benefactor, however, is the Molson family, which contributed $20 million to the business school. The JMSB bears the name of the family patriarch, John Molson (see sidebar, “The Molson connection”).

Built to sustain Marion elissalDe

In November 2000, Concordia renamed its

The light-filled, ground-floor lobby along De Maisonneuve Boulevard.

lab. I’m certain that we’ll see a new and improved John Molson School of Business,” says Zimmerman, an International Business and Marketing student.

vice-chairman of the Board of Molson

From park to tower in no time

Coors Brewing Company. andrew Molson says he learned about the qualities that set Concordia apart from other universities from his father. “Concordia is a great Montreal institution with an open mind,” Molson says. He adds that his family will keep supporting Concordia and the JMSB. “We are very proud to be part of a diverse group of public and private donors that helped Concordia build a new home for the business school. The JMSB has proved itself year over year as a great place for students to learn and prepare in order to go out in to the world and make good things happen. The list of successful alumni

John Molson School of Business Dean Sanjay Sharma between the fourth and fifth floors of the new JMSB building. Sharma says he’s pleased that courses and research labs are now easily accessible from one location. 10 | fall 2009

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is impressive.”

Looking at the 15-floor, glass-and-steel structure on De Maisonneuve Boulevard and Guy Street, it’s hard to imagine that this was an empty lot just two-and-ahalf years ago. In 1997, Concordia bought the lot and converted it into a small park whose trees were transplanted to the Loyola Campus grounds when construction of the new building began in 2006. Bolla says the building was conceived around 2001, at the same time as Concordia’s Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV Building), which opened in 2005 and is located across the street from the JMSB building at the corner of Ste. Catherine and Guy streets. Concordia awarded the architectural contract for both buildings to Torontobased firm Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg and Montreal-based Fichten Soiferman and Associates. “We purposely chose the same architects,” Bolla explains. “The idea was to create a presence for the university in downtown Montreal. The JMSB building acts like a

sister building to the engineering one.” Gilles Desrochers is the project manager for Genivar, the project management firm responsible for the building. Desrochers says building in a downtown space is challenging because it calls for frequent collaboration with neighbouring retailers and tremendous efforts to avoid causing traffic jams. Desrochers says they were also tasked with designing a modern facility on the relatively small site. The EV Building occupies a lot of about 5,600 square metres while the JMSB lies on about 3,000 square metres of land. But their biggest feat was to finalize construction in less than three years— and on budget. “We completed the project in 28 months, which is a good pace for this type of building. Our budget was $118.5 and we expect to be under that,” Desrochers reports. The larger EV Building took 35 months to build and rang up a total bill of $171.8 million. “Our experience working on the EV Building definitely helped,” he adds. To pay for the building, Concordia secured funding from the Quebec government, which contributed $60 million, and corporate donations from companies such as BMO Bank of Montreal, Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG and RSM Richter Chamberland. Many of the classrooms bear the names of corporate benefactors, including the building’s largest teaching space, the BMO Amphitheatre, located on the first-floor concourse. The JMSB Alumni Chapter

Creating an eco-friendly facility was also among the architect’s top priorities. Sharma’s own research focuses on corporate sustainability and he recommended the building be designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification standards. LEED is an internationally recognized standard developed by the United States Green Building Council, an independent, nonprofit organization. LEED certification requires builders to meet standards in five areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. The JMSB building also features the latest in solar technology to generate renewable energy. “It was a stroke of luck,” Sharma admits. “We have one of the leading experts

concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 11

The Molson connection as the John Molson School of Business in honour of the Molson family’s longstanding support of the school and university. John Molson (1763-1836), founder of Molson Brewery, was a Montreal entrepreneur and philanthropist. among Molson’s string of accomplishments, he contributed to the construction of the Theatre Royal, the city’s first theatre, helped found the Montreal General Hospital and sat on the lower Canada legislative assembly. Over the years, John Molson’s descendants have been involved with Concordia in various capacities. Eric Molson, llD 06, past chairman of Molson Coors Brewing Company, served as Concordia’s chancellor from 1993 to 2005. The JMSB awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2006. His son, andrew T. Molson, is a member of Concordia’s Board of Governors, as well as vice-chairman, legal affairs & Corporate Secretary, for National Public Relations in Montreal and

Built to sustain

The light-filled, ground-floor lobby along De Maisonneuve Boulevard.

lab. I’m certain that we’ll see a new and improved John Molson School of Business,” says Zimmerman, an International Business and Marketing student.

vice-chairman of the Board of Molson

From park to tower in no time

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is impressive.”

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Faculty of Commerce and administration

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In November 2000, Concordia renamed its

CASA president Lea Zimmerman at the student association’s fourth-floor offices. “For the first time ever, CASA is located in the centre of student traffic and this will allow us to effectively cater to the needs of JMSB students,” Zimmerman says. concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 11

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Let the sun shine in among the building’s advances is a highefficiency solar technology that uses both photovoltaic (PV) and thermal panels to generate renewable energy. The hybrid technology, funded by Natural Resources Canada, combines solar air heating and PV electricity generation in one system,

is always really interesting. Public artwork belongs to everybody,” Cadieux says, adding that she was inspired by the ivy growing along limestone walls around Montreal and noted that vines also symbolize Ivy League schools. “Concordia is a democratic institution but also offers a very high quality education. The ivy is a stamp of excellence,” Cadieux says. She says that now that Lierre sur Pierre is part and parcel of the building, it’s taken on a life of its own. “A work of art has its own aura. It has its own light and colour. It produces a shadow. It’s dynamic and functions within its landscape, within its urban context,” Cadieux explains. “And I’ve heard that people like it!” The addition of the JMSB building has visibly altered Montreal’s skyline, Bolla says. “Along with the EV Building and

making it the world’s first building to draw on solar energy to generate both heat and power. andreas athienitis, who heads the Concordia-based, Solar Research Building Network, is one of the chief developers

Above: The building’s solar panels line the west side of its top floors and generate both heat and power. Inset: Converter boxes control and regulate the transformation of solar power into electricity.

of the solar-panel technology. “There are other solar walls using PV working on a smaller scale but nothing of this size. It’s the world’s first, full-scale demonstration of such a technology,” says athienitis, who is also a Concordia Research Chair, Tier 1, in Solar Energy in the Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. The 384 solar panels cover a huge expanse, about 300 square metres, along the facade of the building’s top-floor, which houses the mechanical systems. The panels are perforated and connected to electrical and thermal systems that heat and light the building, provide solar-heated fresh air and run the computers, among other tasks. This technology will supply about 25 kilowatts of electricity and 75 kilowatts of heating, working at an unprecedented, 60-percent efficiency. These panels could actually fill the electricity needs of 10 medium-size houses for one year! Interested in actual figures and efficiency? If so, an energy display, located in the lobby of the JMSB building, shows the real-time energy—captured from the sun—for the building’s use.

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in solar-panel technology, Andreas Athienitis, right across the street!” Athienitis, head of the Concordiabased, Solar Research Building Network and Concordia Research Chair, Tier 1, in Solar Energy for the Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering department, spearheaded the installation of the energy-saving solar panels (see sidebar, “Let the sun shine”). Sharma points out that one of the JMSB’s priorities is to teach students to be more environmentally conscious and aware of their surroundings. “We want to educate managers for the future in a global, sustainable world,” he says. “Therefore, it’s essential that we walk the talk; that our courses teach sustainability and that our facilities be sustainable.” For example, Sharma says they opted for blackboards instead of white boards because the former have a much longer lifespan and require chalk, a natural and environmentally safe material.

Bringing the Ivy League to the street There’s more to the new JMSB building than glass and steel. A creative public artwork, entitled Lierre sur Pierre, graces its north face along De Maisonneuve Boulevard. Lierre sur Pierre, which measures 50 square metres, depicts a vine of reflective, anodized metal climbing up a limestone wall. The Quebec government’s $60-million financing included a requirement (as it does for all new public buildings) to spend one percent of the contribution on public artwork. As part of the process, in 2007, the committee of the Quebec Ministry of Culture, Communications and the Status of Women selected a proposal by Montreal artist/photographer Geneviève Cadieux, who is an associate professor of Photography in the Faculty of Fine Arts. Cadieux says she was thrilled to learn that her artwork was chosen and is so prominently displayed. “To have an opportunity to realize a public work

Concordia associate Photography professor Genevieve Cadieux’s artwork, called Lierre sur Pierre (which means “ivy on stone”), adorns the building’s north side along De Maisonneuve Boulevard.

the reconfigured Place Norman Bethune on the corner of De Maisonneuve Boulevard and Guy Street, the JMSB building has already helped transform Concordia’s downtown image,” he says.

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making it the world’s first building to draw on solar energy to generate both heat and power.

Go with the student flow

andreas athienitis, who heads the Concordia-based, Solar Research Building Network, is one of the chief developers

of the solar-panel technology. “There are

the world’s first, full-scale demonstration of such a technology,” says athienitis, who is also a Concordia Research Chair, Tier 1, in Solar Energy in the Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. The 384 solar panels cover a huge expanse, about 300 square metres, along the facade of the building’s top-floor, which houses the mechanical systems. The panels are perforated and connected to electrical and thermal systems that heat and light the building, provide solar-heated fresh air and run the computers, among other tasks. This technology will supply about 25 kilowatts of electricity and 75 kilowatts of heating, working at an unprecedented, 60-percent efficiency. These panels could actually fill the electricity needs of 10 medium-size houses for one year! Interested in actual figures and efficiency? If so, an energy display, located in the lobby of the JMSB building, shows the real-time energy—captured from the sun—for the building’s use.

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JMSB building’s conception. architecture

the reconfigured Place Norman Bethune on the corner of De Maisonneuve Boulevard and Guy Street, the JMSB building has already helped transform Concordia’s downtown image,” he says. —Reporting by Perry J. Greenbaum, BA (journ.) 96

The John Molson School of Business Building Opening ribboncutting ceremony will be held Tuesday, September 22, at 10:30 a.m. at 1450 Guy St., Montreal (corner De Maisonneuve Blvd.).

firms Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg

other solar walls using PV working on a smaller scale but nothing of this size. It’s

Traffic flow was a major consideration in the

Concordia associate Photography professor Genevieve Cadieux’s artwork, called Lierre sur Pierre (which means “ivy on stone”), adorns the building’s north side along De Maisonneuve Boulevard.

and Fichten Soiferman and associates

Bringing the Ivy League to the street

designed the building with six floors of

There’s more to the new JMSB building than glass and steel. A creative public artwork, entitled Lierre sur Pierre, graces its north face along De Maisonneuve Boulevard. Lierre sur Pierre, which measures 50 square metres, depicts a vine of reflective, anodized metal climbing up a limestone wall. The Quebec government’s $60-million financing included a requirement (as it does for all new public buildings) to spend one percent of the contribution on public artwork. As part of the process, in 2007, the committee of the Quebec Ministry of Culture, Communications and the Status of Women selected a proposal by Montreal artist/photographer Geneviève Cadieux, who is an associate professor of Photography in the Faculty of Fine Arts. Cadieux says she was thrilled to learn that her artwork was chosen and is so prominently displayed. “To have an opportunity to realize a public work

hosts of students and others to move about

classrooms in the lower levels, thus allowing both quickly and efficiently. Undergraduate classrooms are situated between the second basement level and the fourth floor, with the fifth floor reserved for graduate students—all close to street level for easy accessibility. Distinctive design features include a two-storey, stacked atrium, a vertically interconnected ground floor concourse and a tunnel under Guy Street that connects to the métro and EV and GM buildings (and will eventually lead to the J.W. McConnell and Henry F. Hall buildings). The atrium, which is two storeys high, is surrounded on all sides by enormous windows, flooding it with natural light. It will be used to host faculty and university events. Students will also have a surfeit of places to meet, including the 36 study rooms located close to classrooms. The offices for the departments of Theatre, Dance and Music are on the building’s fifth floor and Theatre and Dance classes are on the seventh floor.

The fourth-floor, RSM Richter Chamberland LLP Student Study Area is one of many gathering spaces available for students. concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 13

ot long ago, a Montreal woman concerned about protecting herself against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) went to a local HIV/AIDS prevention agency to find out what she had to do. The agent on the other side of the counter gave her a pamphlet about men having sex with other men and told her to adapt the material to her situation. This is the type of misinformation Viviane Namaste discovered through her research as an associate professor at Concordia’s Simone de Beauvoir Institute and research chair in HIV/ AIDS and Sexual Health. “Our research

Concordia research chair in HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health Viviane Namaste on the steps of the Simone de Beauvoir Institute. In June, Namaste received the 2009 Canadian Award for Action on HIV/AIDS. She says the award has given her research initiatives much more visibility. “As we approach 30 years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, we need to have the difficult conversations, such as adapting information for swingers and preventing the spread of STDs among women,” Namaste says.

Clamen, MA 07, nominated Namaste for the award. Clamen, who has worked with Namaste during the course of her own advocacy on behalf of sex workers, says she admires Namaste’s exceptional skills as a research leader and activist. “Viviane elegantly nudges and guides us in our search and production of knowledge,” Clamen says.

Putting needs first Namaste points out that most research and its subsequent recommendations fail to address the information and resource needs of marginalized communities because researchers

interviewed until they realized that we weren’t going to ask them about their sex life,” she recalls. “This suggests that because most sexual-health research draws on people comfortable enough to talk about their sex life, there’s a biased sample that excludes others.” She adds that researchers heard some unexpected responses, too. “We asked, ‘If you had one word to describe your sexual orientation, what would that be?’ And one person said, ‘Well, it’s perfect.’ This tells us people don’t necessarily make sense of their lives with the identity categories that we tend to have around sexuality,” Namaste says.

Looking out for the overlooked Viviane Namaste, Concordia research chair in HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health, seeks to educate and help communities often marginalized by the mainstream health-service system.

Ryan Blau/PBL Photography

By Julie Gedeon

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shows that there is little information for STD- and HIV/AIDS-prevention directed at women,” Namaste says. But there’s a pressing need for that information. “The symptoms of syphilis, for instance, manifest themselves in different locations in a woman’s body compared to the body of a man,” Namaste examines the gaps in STD- and HIV/AIDS-prevention education and services for overlooked communities, including transsexuals, bisexuals and swingers, or couples who exchange sexual partners and who may also engage in group sex. She has made it a personal crusade to identify the needs of each of these groups, provide them with enhanced to information and lobby for improved government health policies and resources. In June, Namaste received the 2009 Canadian Award for Action on HIV/AIDS from the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Human Rights Watch for her years of research and activism. Jenn

often aren’t posing the right questions. “Most HIV/AIDS research focuses on behaviour, asking, Have you had sex? Have you used drugs? Have you shared needles? Then it tries to extrapolate what people need from that rather than just asking them directly,” she says. Namaste and her Concordia research team begin interviews with the question, ‘What do you need?’ “Part of what I do in my research is ask, ‘What kind of information is important to you?’ ‘How should we orient it?’ ‘What should it include?’ ‘How should it look?’ ‘What don’t you like about what you see in existing education?’” Several years ago, Namaste developed a guide for field researchers that deliberately steered clear of questions about a person’s sexual behaviour. When researchers began using the guide, they quickly discovered their new questions were generating new findings. “A number of people we spoke to said they were hesitant about being

Research results into action Namaste’s community activism began in the early ’90s through CACTUS Montréal, a downtown centre that offers drug users sterile needles, along with advice and other information. In 1995, Namaste co-founded Action Santé : Travesti(e)s et Transsexuel(le)s du Québec, a Montreal-based, communityhealth project that provides transsexuals with better access to healthcare information and services. In 2002, Namaste arrived at the Simone de Beauvoir Institute. One of her goals has been to apply research findings in concrete ways. “That’s the real nugget for me in terms of data: identifying the gaps, then having the grassroots discussion based on an absence of information to start thinking about how we can create the knowledge that will lead to the required action,” she explains. “We need to link our prevention work to services so people concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 15

Putting needs first Namaste points out that most research and its subsequent recommendations fail to address the information and resource needs of marginalized communities because researchers

Ryan Blau/PBL Photography

By Julie Gedeon

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One of Viviane Namaste’s goals has been to translate her research into action. Namaste and her Polyvalence team launched an advertising campaign based on their findings. For instance, the campaign’s advertising posters (such as on this and the facing page) focus on practices, instead of identities. The posters appear in public areas, such as washrooms, restaurants and community centres. The posters on the left reads, “I know how to protect myself with a man, but with a women…”

know where to get an HIV/AIDS test or be checked out if they have a concern.” As a result, two years later, Namaste and her team launched Polyvalence, a research project focused on the HIV-prevention needs of people with bisexual identities or behaviour. Polyvalence’s bilingual website (polyvalence.ca) displays an array of HIV/AIDS- and other STDprevention information, including online resources, publications and recommendations. Namaste helped secure funding for Polyvalence from Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Tamara Vukov, PhD 07, worked as a researcher on several of Namaste’s projects at Concordia, including Polyvalence. “Viviane spearheaded Polyvalence despite encountering many 16 | fall 2009

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closed doors at first,” Vukov says. “When she took up her position at the Simone de Beauvoir Institute, she really helped to make this groundbreaking project happen.” Vukov adds that Namaste’s dedication to her work is inspiring. “Namaste challenges the standard institutional frameworks rooted in the marginalized communities that have been excluded or pathologized by academic research, institutions, the government and public,” she says. “She has shown me and others the importance of having a long-term perspective when you’re working on social change, so you can keep challenging what needs to be changed, pushing strategically without backing down.” Part of Namaste’s advocacy has been on behalf of women. Namaste points out that HIV/AIDS- and STD-prevention

campaigns, for instance, still target heterosexual or gay men. Several years ago, she attended a workshop in Montreal organized by a bisexual group in collaboration with a mainstream HIV/AIDS agency. “The bisexual group members said to the agency, ‘We have sex with men and women, so please make the workshop relevant. But the organizers presented information pertinent only to men,” Namaste relates. “So, as often happens, the women left without the information they had been seeking.” Namaste’s research also reveals that some doctors are telling women that they aren’t at risk for STDs if they have sex with other females, which is definitely false. In some cases, STDs, such as herpes and trichomoniasis (a single-cell parasite), are more common in women engaging in sex with women or men. Members of all the communities Namaste studies express a desire to have health information made more readily available. “For example, they have told us they want information in community newspapers, like The Mirror and Voir, or on posters at dépanneurs,” she says. “The public thinks bisexuals must be underground, but they’re buying groceries, making photocopies and getting their shoes fixed at the same places as everyone else.”

Transsexuals can run into all kinds of difficulties—everything from having an issue about the name on their healthcare card to having trouble obtaining access to hormone treatments and surgery, Namaste adds. They can also experience distinctive medical issues. “For instance, a side effect of HIV medication is lipodystrophy, or a redistribution of body fat, that causes your face to become thinner and women to lose fatty tissue from their breasts and hips,” Namaste explains. “So the medication improves people’s health but can put male-to-female transsexuals at real odds with their physical appearance and sense of self.”

Swingers form another group whose needs have largely gone unaddressed. “Swingers number in the thousands in Montreal and yet nobody is working in the field of HIV/AIDS awareness or public health with this community or has thought it relevant to ask if we have links with these people,” she says. Here, again, Namaste’s research shows that women face particular risks. “For instance, the available HIV information tells a man to wear a condom for selfprotection but if he’s having group sex with a number of women, he can transmit an STD from one woman to another if he doesn’t wear a new condom each time.”

Namaste stresses that providing proper access to STD- and HIV/ AIDS-prevention information and resources is a matter of life and death for all us, not just marginalized groups. “There’s little HIV/AIDS information in the mainstream. Yet, people in a monogamous relationship in the suburbs are at risk if their partners are having undisclosed relations and not protecting themselves and their partners,” Namaste says. “So it’s essential that we all become better educated.”

else. The poster below reads, “My girlfriend says I can’t catch an STD from her. My boyfriend is clueless about these things. What do you think?”

Working on societal fringes Namaste’s research shows that public health policy excludes many of these marginalized groups as well. “For example, it’s been known since the mid-1990s that transsexuals, like other marginalized populations, are greatly affected by HIV/AIDS,” she says. “Yet this population is not mentioned in Canadian state policy on HIV/AIDS.” concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 17

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the public thinks bisexuals must be underground, but they’re buying groceries, making photocopies and getting their shoes fixed at the same places as everyone else. The poster below reads, “My girlfriend says I can’t catch an STD from her. My boyfriend is clueless about these things. What do you think?”

AlumniProfile Michael Orsini, pictured at Concordia’s Bishop Court. Orsini arrived at the University of Ottawa’s School of Political Studies in 2003. His current research includes examining American and Canadian citizen activism in autism, multiple chemical sensitivity and asthma. “So far, autism has kind of taken over,” Orsini quips.

Finger on the pulse of health policy activism University of Ottawa political science professor Michael Orsini, BA 91, MA 96, examines how activists interact with and affect health policies. b y P a t r i c k M c D o nag h

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crises. The scandal erupted in the 1990s after it was discovered that at least 2,000 recipients of blood and blood products contracted HIV between 1980 and 1985 and another 30,000 transfusion recipients were infected with Hepatitis C between 1980 and 1990. “I was intrigued by how a group of people with nothing in common but this infection acquired through blood transfusion could become a collective of political actors,” Orsini recalls. He criss-crossed the country for his doctoral research and interviewed activists in an effort to understand what factors helped or hindered the movement’s success. “These people were becoming adept at interpreting scientific and medical knowledge and the federal inquiry into the crisis became a contest between their perspective and that of the government and healthcare professionals,” he says. “The tainted-blood scandal movement really blazed a trail for some of today’s activism.”

Charting a new path for public policy Public policies are formed when a government or healthcare body takes actions or makes decisions about public issues that typically include regulations, laws and funding priorities. For a government to develop a public policy, as Orsini tells his students, it must take three crucial steps: define a problem, identify the goal and devise strategies to achieve that goal. How it defines the problem will determine the approaches it adopts to defining it. But with autism, for instance, researchers, parents and self-advocates have distinct and often conflicting definitions. “The challenge is in understanding how these perspectives fit together, which isn’t easy,” he says. Exploring the various—and often incompatible—social movements associated with autism forms one aspect of Orsini’s current research. He is leading a project, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), entitled “Health Policy from Below: Social Movements and Contested Illness in Canada and the U.S.” The project examines American and Canadian citizen activism in autism, multiple chemical sensitivity and asthma, and how these movements develop, why they succeed or fail and what differences exist between the two countries. Orsini’s cross-cultural research activities were boosted when he was named a Fulbright Visiting Research Chair at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he worked from January through June 2009. “In my time there, I was struck by the staggering level of fear of vaccines as a cause of autism. There are some anti-vaccination folks in Canada but it is not on the agenda in the same way,” he says. “This issue is especially interesting because it expresses a deep anxiety over scientific

Linda Rutenberg

hat do autism, asthma, multiple chemical sensitivity and Canada’s tainted-blood scandal have in common? For one, all have led to powerful, consumer-advocate movements. And they have also caught the attention of Michael Orsini, BA (journ. & poli. sci.) 91, MA (PP&PA) 96, associate professor at the University of Ottawa’s School of Political Studies. Orsini, an expert in health activism, is intrigued by how social movements shape health policies. Take, for example, the competing views in the autism debate, which are focal points of Orsini’s current research. When the son of American model and actress Jenny McCarthy was diagnosed with autism in 2005, she attributed it to his measles-mumps-rubella vaccination. Since then, McCarthy has argued that a regime of therapy and diet has helped her son in his recovery (noting, as she does, that a recovery is not a cure). Today, the former poster girl is the United States’ most prominent champion for parents of children with autism and a tireless campaigner against vaccines. She has an ally in the glossy United Kingdom-based magazine Autism File, which condemns funds directed to genetic research and aggressively opposes scientists and physicians who scoff at claims of a link between vaccines and autism. In Canada, parents have launched court challenges against provincial governments to acquire funding for costly Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy, which supporters insists is the most effective—indeed, the only—way of treating autism in young children. At the same time, many autistic adults promote so-called autism pride because they value their “neuro-diversity” in the “neuro-typical” mainstream. They bristle at talk of a cure and are wary of therapies, including ABA, that could suppress their identity. From their perspective, autism is simply another way of experiencing the world and, while it has to be understood and accommodated, it should not be pathologized. This is the entry point for Orsini. “As a political scientist, I am interested in how these groups have an impact on policy, as well as on how we understand autism. But there are serious divisions and the rhetoric on all sides is very confrontational,” Orsini points out. Working in such a highly politicized field has consequences for the researcher, too. “You realize that whatever you say or write takes on a real immediacy. People are watching, reading and ready to respond,” he notes. Orsini’s interest in healthcare activism has deep roots. His 1995 Concordia master’s thesis investigated identity politics and AIDS activism while his doctoral research, completed in 2002 at Carleton University in Ottawa, focused on the Canadian tainted-blood scandal, one of Canada’s worst public health

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Linda Rutenberg

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SettinganExample and medical progress, which can lead to public cynicism about these enterprises.” The American concern with vaccines may be influenced by the fact that the United States—unlike Canada—has vaccine courts for people who seek compensation because they claim they’ve been harmed by vaccines. The high profile of American anti-vaccine activists like McCarthy may also be a factor. Orsini admits an academic career unravelling the complexities of healthcare advocacy was not always in the cards. “Journalism was my first love,” he reveals. “I worked at The Link, Concordia’s student newspaper, and spent many sleepless nights in the Hall Building getting it out.” After completing his undergraduate degree in journalism and political science, Orsini joined the Montreal newspaper The Gazette, first as an intern and later as a full-time reporter. “I covered everything. If you did a good job talking to the victims of some horrific murder, they sent you out again,” he recalls. Eventually, though, he grew disillusioned. “I loved journalism’s immediacy but it wasn’t responding to my interests and I never had enough time to devote to a story,” Orsini says. A chance meeting with one of his former political science professors, Reeta Tremblay, prompted Orsini’s return to academia. Still, he says his background in journalism proved complementary. “Writing my doctorate felt a bit like journalism. After all, things were changing very quickly during the tainted-blood inquiry as the breadth of the scandal was unfolding,” he relates. Few people are more familiar with Orsini’s œuvres than Miriam Smith, professor in the Law and Society program at York University. Smith is part of the SSHRC project led by Orsini and the two have co-edited Critical Policy Studies, a collection of essays. She also sat on his doctoral dissertation committee at Carleton. “Michael’s work is original. He is bringing new approaches from disparate fields, from social movement theory to political science, to understand how clients of the healthcare system mobilize,” Smith says. “These are people we have not traditionally thought of as political actors.” But she adds that through Orsini’s analyses, scholars are starting to get a sense of how these grassroots activists can affect government health policy.

with the world beyond academia. “I had prepared a community report following my research on Hepatitis C because I realized, after interviewing lots of people, that they were not interested in academic articles,” he says. The report, titled “From Silence to Voice: A Qualitative Glimpse into the Lives of People with Hepatitis C,” presented his research findings in lay terms. Orsini sent the report to everyone who was interviewed for the project. He also shared it with groups that include the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange, which posted it online. “The community report was a necessary part of knowledge transfer, disseminating information beyond the traditional academic milieu,” Orsini says. “As academics, we don’t pay enough attention to reporting our findings back to people.” This July, Orsini did just that. He chaired the OHTN’s weeklong Universities Without Walls Summer Learning Institute in Toronto, which united academic and community leaders to discuss interdisciplinary HIV research, from public policy to epidemiology. Sean Rourke, the scientific and executive director of the OHTN and an associate professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, worked closely with Orsini on the summer institute and several research projects. “Michael is doing exciting work and has brought tremendous leadership to our Universities Without Walls training initiative,” he says. “As well, I’ve been struck by how he works toward influencing change for better public policies and programs. We need more people like Michael to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and policy.” Orsini says he is working toward raising awareness about public policy toward autism and HIV/AIDs. “With autism, I want to promote a perspective that will incorporate the voices of people on the spectrum, as well as parents of children with autism. We have to understand how they are all connected,” he says. “Bringing the full range of lived experience to policy development should be fundamental.” As for HIV/AIDS, this has meant finding ways of bringing healthcare consumers and community leaders into contact with researchers and policy makers to develop a comprehensive and inclusive approach to addressing the relevant issues. Orsini’s dedication to his research and advocacy of an inclusive public policy have led many people to ask him whether one of his own family members is HIV positive or whether one of his own children is autistic. The answer in both cases, is no. “People want a rationale of some sort but often, research is curiosity driven. I see phenomena like the autism movement as a prism enabling us to explore how citizens and healthcare consumers become activists and to learn about how their interactions with government and professional communities can change the way a society understands and addresses healthcare issues,” he explains. “That, for me, is the real connection.”

the tainted blood scandal movement really blazed a trail for some of today’s activism.

From academy to real world Not surprisingly, this research has some practical applications, as Smith points out. “Michael’s work has a lot to say about how healthcare consumers can be engaged in shaping health practice and treatment,” she says. For the last few years, Orsini collaborated with the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) to develop Universities Without Walls, a project that brings community leaders together with an interdisciplinary mix of young academic researchers—graduate and post-doctoral students—from across the country to help groom the next generation of HIV researchers. Orsini’s participation stems from his commitment to sharing the fruits of research results 20 | fall 2009

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contact Advancement and Alumni relations at 1-888-777-3330 or 514-848-2424, ext. 4856, or visit

—Patrick McDonagh, PhD 98, is a Montreal-based writer concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 21

the tainted blood scandal movement really blazed a trail for some of today’s activism.

concordia university magazine

a year to remember I

am a proud 2009 Concordia graduate. During my time

I arrived at Concordia in 2006, shortly after I attended its

at the university, I learned firsthand how difficult it is to

Institute in Management and Community Development’s

maintain good grades while holding a part-time job. That’s

Summer Program in Non-Profit Management and Community

why, in my final year, I agreed to become one of two Faculty

Development. I was so impressed that I enrolled in the School

of arts and Science representatives on the Grad Class Gift

of Community and Public affairs. While pursuing my Ba,

Committee. Other members included Jad Fahd, also for arts

I gained valuable insight into the workings of community

and Science, Karol Kozubal for Engineering and Computer

and grassroots organizations and government.

Science, Venkatesa Virahsammy for the John Molson School of Business and Judith Mignault for Fine arts. Our committee

I also worked part-time in the Concordia advancement and

aimed to raise funds for an entrance scholarship by appealing

alumni Relations Office’s call centre and events unit. On a

to members of the 2009 graduating class to contribute a

sombre note, one of my call centre friends, Concordia student

symbolic gift of $20.09, which represented our grad year. I’m

Djihanne abu-Merhy, passed away shortly before we launched

proud to report that the “20-09 Campaign,” as it was billed,

the Grad Class Gift campaign. Djihanne’s infectious spirit

successfully raised more than $3,000!

and passion for fundraising motivated me throughout the campaign. I recently moved to Toronto and started a publicrelations consulting company called Bene-Fête Strategic Communications (bene-fete.com), which specializes in publicity and events for non-profit organizations and cultural groups. I truly appreciate what Concordia has given me. I feel that all graduates should give back to an institution that has provided us with so much support and resources during our days as students. Munira Ravji, BA 09 2009 Grad Class Gift Committee member

Members of the 2009 Grad Class Gift Committee (left to right): Karol Kozubal, Venkatesa Virahsammy, Jad Fahd, Munira Ravji and Judith Mignault.

How to make a difference As a volunteer or donor to concordia, you, too, can make a difference. Every year, thousands of concordia alumni, parents and friends provide support to concordia students. whichever area of concordia you choose to support, your gift will help ensure our students enjoy the best possible university experience and graduate as leaders in their fields. contact Advancement and Alumni relations at 1-888-777-3330 or 514-848-2424, ext. 4856, or visit giving.concordia.ca.

—Patrick McDonagh, PhD 98, is a Montreal-based writer concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 21

Great grads In June, more than 4,000 Concordia students celebrated their graduations at convocation. Among our new alumni, meet eight outstanding and award-winning individuals.

Waxing poetic over Concordia

russ CooPer

peaking with Wanda O’Connor, BA (classical lang. & lit.) 09, is like listening to poetry rather than prose. “Henry Miller wrote, ‘We live at the edge of the miraculous.’ As a poet myself, I embrace and covet that edge,” O’Connor says.

Creative Writing graduate Wanda O’Connor outside Concordia’s Hall Building.

With her honours degree, which includes a major in Creative Writing, O’Connor is on the verge of launching herself from that edge into a career as a writer and teacher. She recently earned a graduate scholarship grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council that helped fund her academic pursuits as she returned to Concordia in September 22 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

to pursue her master’s in poetics. O’Connor, a native of Hillsborough, N.B., came to Concordia in 2006 after working for nearly one decade as a web designer for the federal government in Ottawa. She wrote poetry as a sideline and, in 2004, entered and won a CBC literary contest. CBC producers asked her to represent the Ottawa poets’ community on a local CBC radio show shortly thereafter. Around that time, O’Connor learned of Concordia’s Creative Writing program and considered it as an alternative route. “I’ve always had a sense of curiosity, enthusiasm for learning and inventiveness and I decided for a change,” she says. O’Connor quickly found a home at Concordia both within and outside the classroom. “I’m the kind of person who gets involved and Concordia provided so many opportunities for me to do so,” she says. Among many activities, O’Connor served as president of the Concordia Classics Student Association (2008-09), was published in two anthology books of poetry and was a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. She also worked as a mentor and tutor at the Student Success Centre, dispensing academic and practical advice to fellow students. Marlene Gross, the centre’s coordinator, says that O’Connor was an effective mentor to students who had returned to university after being out of school for a while. “Wanda was able to share her own perspectives with these students. As well, when she spoke about poetry and classics, she would come aglow,” Gross says. O’Connor credits her teachers, especially Classics, Modern Languages and Linguistics professors Sean Gurd and Annette Teffeteller and English professors Stephanie Bolster and Andre Furlani, for fostering a supportive environment. Bolster describes O’Connor’s poetry as nuanced and wide ranging. “She can explore Marc Antony and the reflections in a cup of coffee with equal engagement and originality. I’m so glad that she’ll continue to be a presence at Concordia for a few more years,” Bolster says. —Russ Cooper

Celia Shahnaz and her husband, Shaikh Fattah, were both in Concordia’s audio-signal processing doctoral program.

endy (Menachem) Wenger, BSc (math.) 09, has always known that mathematics would be his life’s passion. “I truly could not see myself going into any other field of work,” says Wenger, who was the 2009 Governor General’s Silver Medal recipient for having the highest academic standing upon graduating from a baccalaureate program. His penchant for numbers led him to actuarial mathematics/ finance. After high school, Wenger, like many other students that age, was searching for a direction. He was introduced to actuarial math by family friends Eli Meroz, BA (math.) 93, MTM 97, Cert 06, BA (theol. studies) 08, and Irwin Silber, BSc (actuarial math.) 89. “Until [Meroz] told me about it, I had never heard of the word [actuary]. I vividly remember going home from my meeting with him and taking out a dictionary to look it up,” Wenger says. Intrigued, he went to New York City to find out more from

Great grads Waxing poetic over Concordia

russ CooPer

Creative Writing graduate Wanda O’Connor outside Concordia’s Hall Building.

concordia university magazine

Getting ahead one decibel at a time

“H

e’s the hardest working person I know,” says Celia Shahnaz about her husband, Shaikh Fattah, PhD (elec. & comp. sci.) 08. “I don’t say that as his wife; I say that as a fellow worker.” Fattah and Shahnaz met in Bangladesh and were married nine years ago. In 2004, when Fattah was accepted into Concordia’s PhD program in audio-signal processing, Shahnaz stayed behind. Shortly after, she, too, gained her acceptance into the audio-signal processing doctoral program. Fattah, who is now a post-doctoral research associate at Princeton University in New Jersey, created voice identification models—that recognize the individual vocal tract or the voice equivalent of a fingerprint—in loud noises while at Concordia. At June convocation, he received the Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Award in Natural Sciences and Engineering from the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering. Wei-Ping Zhu, associate professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and one of Fattah’s supervisors, describes him as an outstanding teacher and scholar. “Shaikh is more than a great student; more than an excellent researcher. He was so enthusiastic in training our junior students,” Zhu says. “I am very glad he has a clearly defined goal and believe he will become an outstanding professor and educator.” Fattah’s voice-identification research and role as a part-time teacher landed him 14 awards, fellowships and scholarships, including a prestigious 2008 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship and two Hydro Québec Graduate Awards. Fattah dedicated his award-winning doctoral thesis to his wife. “[Shahnaz’s] progressive mentality, caring inspiration and exceptional foresight helped me immensely,” he says. “She’s the accelerator in every sphere of my life.” —Russ Cooper

russ CooPer

In June, more than 4,000 Concordia students celebrated their graduations at convocation. Among our new alumni, meet eight outstanding and award-winning individuals.

Celia Shahnaz and her husband, Shaikh Fattah, were both in Concordia’s audio-signal processing doctoral program.

Adding up accomplishments

Marion elissalDe

Mendy Wenger in the math lab on the ninth floor of Concordia’s Library Building

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concordia university magazine

lourDez rejón

Silber, who works as an actuary for New York Life Insurance Company. Wenger says the risk management and complex mathematical models matched his aptitude for quantitative calculation—traits that are endemic to the actuarial mathematics profession. “I knew this was where I wanted to be and I’ve been pursuing that goal ever since,” he says. Silber wasn’t surprised by Wenger’s decision. “I was always impressed by Mendy’s eagerness to complement his academic knowledge with a desire to learn about the business aspects of the actuarial profession,” Silber says. Wenger graduated with an exceptional Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.28 and received scholarships during each of his three years at Concordia, including one from Meloche Monnex last year. He also received the Rytsa Tobias Memorial Medal as the university’s highest ranking, graduating BA student. José Garrido, professor of Mathematics and Statistics, notes that Wenger was both a well-rounded and exceptional student. “He is a natural. He puts a lot of effort to reach the goals he has set for himself but he does it with such an easy demeanour that success seems like second nature for him,” says Garrido, who is also director of the Actuarial Mathematics Program. “He is a real scholar and a gentleman.” Wenger recently headed back to New York City to begin work at Guardian Life Insurance Company, where he interned last summer. He says he’ll continue to write actuarial exams over the next few of years as he moves closer to earning an industry accreditation. “I would also like to pursue graduate studies in mathematics at sometime in the future,” Wenger says. “I know I will always have a thirst for more knowledge in mathematics.” —Russ Cooper

Juan Lema was a summer intern in 2008 at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Wash.

Soft spot for software development

“A

t Concordia, we are given abundant opportunities to develop and apply practical skills starting even from the lower-level courses,” says Juan Lema, BEng (software eng.) 09. Lema applied those skills to their fullest, completing his BEng with an outstanding record that led to his Software Engineering Medal. He also earned a 2007-2008 Stan Heaps Scholarship as the highest-ranked undergraduate student in the Department of Computer Science. The Institute for Co-operative Education’s work-study opportunities lured Lema to Concordia. Through the Coop Program and contacts he made at the 2008 Canadian University Software Engineering Conference in Montreal, Lema earned a three-month internship in summer 2008 at Microsoft Corporation headquarters in Redmond, Wash. “It was definitely very intense but a very rewarding learning experience. I got to work with very bright and passionate interns from top universities,” he says. He also worked as a game developer for Electronic Arts and as a prototype developer at Research in Motion (RIM), creators of the BlackBerry, in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. Michael S. Brown, a senior software developer at RIM, says he was impressed by what Lema added to the team. “Juan brought with him a ton of youthful enthusiasm and passion for technology. He made many valuable contributions to a number of projects. His positive attitude was infectious and his desire to learn was evident,” says Brown, who was Lema’s supervisor. Lema plans to relocate in 2010 to Washington State, where he would like to land a software engineering position that will allow him to keep developing his passion for leadership. —Karen Herland

Marion elissalDe

Mendy Wenger in the math lab on the ninth floor of Concordia’s Library Building

24 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

An English version of the text is available at magazine.concordia.ca.

L’art de préparer son entrée en scène

lourDez rejón

Juan Lema was a summer intern in 2008 at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Wash.

Soft spot for software development

“A

Cette expérience la convainc définitivement que ce qu’elle veut, c’est travailler sur scène et que pour y parvenir, il lui faut une formation. Elle retourne donc à Concordia pour des études en interprétation théâtrale. « C’était exactement ce dont j’avais besoin. Je me concentrais enfin sur ma passion », se souvient-elle. Parallèlement à ses études, Dominique demeure très active : elle participe à la conception d’ateliers pour enfants par le biais de l’Alliance théâtrale haïtienne et redonne vie au défunt Ralliement étudiant Haïti-Canada pour aider les étudiants haïtiens de Concordia à établir des liens entre eux ainsi qu’à reprendre contact avec leur culture. Elle est également bénévole et mentor au Centre de réussite universitaire de l’Université, où elle donne des conseils aux étudiants. Ses innombrables réalisations lui valent le prix du Conseil de la vie étudiante de Concordia, de nombreuses bourses d’études et de subsistance ainsi que le prix Couleurs de Concordia 2007-2008, décerné aux étudiants qui travaillent à rallier les différentes cultures. « Artiste émergente bourrée de talent, Dominique a incarné l’excellence tout au long de son parcours universitaire, souligne Rachael Van Fossen, chargée de cours au Département de théâtre. Elle est un modèle de leadership pour ses pairs et camarades de classe! » Dominique Bourassa, de son nom de scène Dominique Brownes, espère ardemment faire carrière en tant que comédienne. Et d’ajouter : « La scène artistique montréalaise est vraiment incroyable : on y trouve tout un réseau de créateurs et de bâtisseurs! » —Karen Herland

Aller au cœur du sujet

saFe solvent PHotograPHy

Dominique Bourassa incarne Dorimène dans la pièce Le bourgeois gentilhomme, montée par le Département de théâtre de Concordia en 2008 et présentée à la salle de concert Oscar-Peterson.

vec deux diplômes de 1er cycle et la médaille Concordia en bout de liste d’une longue série de réalisations à son actif, Dominique Bourassa, BA (Communication) 03, et BFA (Théâtre) 09, est fin prête à concrétiser son rêve : entreprendre une carrière d’actrice. Il y a dix ans, alors qu’elle étudie les sciences sociales au Collège Dawson, à Montréal, Dominique s’intéresse déjà au monde du spectacle. Elle décide cependant de s’inscrire au programme de communication de l’Université Concordia. Lorsqu’elle obtient son diplôme en 2003, elle accepte un poste au Black Theatre Workshop après y avoir travaillé comme stagiaire.

son arrivée à Concordia en 2007, David Cyr, BSc (Chimie et Biochimie) 09, s’inscrit à deux programmes très stimulants : l’Institut d’enseignement coopératif et le Collège des sciences. « Grâce aux stages et aux projets de recherche qu’offrent ces programmes, j’ai pu acquérir une expérience pratique hors pair. Et en prime, j’ai eu la chance de travailler dans mon domaine tout en touchant un salaire qui m’a aidé à payer mes frais de scolarité », se réjouit-il. Décoré de la médaille Malone 2009 attribuée lors de la collation des grades à un finissant du premier cycle dont les efforts et l’engagement incarnent les valeurs de l’université au sein de la communauté concordienne, David est récipiendaire de nombreuses distinctions, dont la bourse du nouveau millénaire de la campagne 2007-2008. Selon Peter Pawelek, professeur agrégé de chimie et biochimie, David s’adapte vite au monde complexe de la biochimie et de la biologie moléculaire. « Dès que je l’ai vu travailler à son projet de recherche dans mon labo, je n’ai pas été surpris de la facilité avec laquelle il appliquait ses connaissances scientifiques théoriques à la pratique en concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 25

S’investir à fond pour en retirer beaucoup

Marion elissalDe

iplômé en droit de l’Université Laval, Olivier Romain, MBA 09, travaille dans un cabinet d’avocats puis dans une multinationale avant d’entrer au programme de MBA de l’École de gestion JohnMolson (JMSB) en 2007. « J’ai choisi le MBA afin d’élargir mes connaissances en commerce et administration. Je voulais m’investir à fond pour profiter au maximum de mon expérience », déclare-t-il. En juin dernier, Olivier termine son MBA avec une note impressionnante de 3,75 et repart muni d’un bagage bien plus important que des bonnes notes : il va pouvoir exploiter l’expertise en gestion acquise au MBA pour contribuer au développement des collectivités. C’est ainsi qu’en 2008, lui et quatre camarades de classe fondent le programme d’expansion communautaire international du MBA (MBA iCOP). Dans le cas de ce projet pilote, Olivier passe l’été à Los Olivos, un quartier de Lima, au Pérou. Il collabore avec le maire adjoint pour créer une banque municipale qui finance les micro et petites entreprises ciblant les marchés locaux, nationaux et

laboratoire », s’émerveille le professeur. Mais David ne s’arrête pas là. L’été dernier, pour parfaire ses aptitudes, il effectue un stage de trois mois au Centre de recherche cardiovasculaire et au Center for Gender in Medicine à la Charité Universitätsmedizin à Berlin, en Allemagne. Son projet réside dans la différenciation entre les cœurs normaux et les cœurs malades selon les sexes. « J’ai dû effectuer une chirurgie cardiaque compliquée sur des souris — connue sous le nom de constriction aortique transverse — qui consiste essentiellement à ligaturer l’aorte ascendante pour créer une sténose partielle du flux sanguin, et ainsi entraîner une hypertrophie myocardique, c’est-à-dire une augmentation de la masse du cœur », explique-t-il en termes profanes! Cet internat confirme ses aspirations : « J’ai l’intention de faire médecine et d’obtenir mon doctorat afin de devenir médecin humanitaire dans les zones de crises et de conflits, avant de me consacrer à la recherche médicale », précise-t-il. Pour l’instant, David souhaite prendre un peu de répit avant de se replonger dans des études poussées. « Cet été, je voudrais suivre quelques cours de photographie et obtenir ma certification de plongeur sous-marin, et au printemps, je commencerai des cours d’arabe et d’allemand le soir. L’année prochaine, j’espère aller en Afrique pour faire du travail humanitaire et en profiter pour voyager. » —Dawn Wiseman

Courtesy oF olivier roMain

Le lauréat de la médaille Malone aspire à devenir médecin et à obtenir un doctorat.

Olivier Romain devant le Machu Picchu lors d’un voyage au Pérou en 2008.

26 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

Marion elissalDe

Le lauréat de la médaille Malone aspire à devenir médecin et à obtenir un doctorat.

Le sport dans la peau

Courtesy oF olivier roMain

Olivier Romain devant le Machu Picchu lors d’un voyage au Pérou en 2008.

26 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

internationaux. Malaz Sebai, MBA 09, est l’un des cofondateurs de MBA iCOP. C’est lui qui, avec Olivier, lance l’idée de ce programme exploité par les étudiants. « Olivier réussit tout ce qu’il entreprend. Quand il décide de quelque chose, vous êtes sûr qu’il l’accomplira. C’est ce qui m’a toujours impressionné chez lui », avoue Malaz. Olivier tient à continuer de s’occuper du MBA iCOP pour en assurer la pérennité. Toutefois, le projet le plus passionnant qu’il a réalisé reste à ses yeux l’organisation du Concours international d’études de cas du MBA John-Molson, en janvier dernier. Il a recruté près de cent vingt bénévoles et recueilli 200 000 $ auprès de commanditaires : « C’est la plus grosse somme jamais amassée, malgré la morosité de l’économie. Tous s’accordent à dire que c’est une des éditions les mieux organisées et les plus fréquentées depuis près de trente ans que le concours existe », déclare-t-il avec fierté. Le doyen de l’École, Sanjay Sharma, ne tarit pas d’éloges : « Le dévouement d’Olivier dans la mise en œuvre de ce prestigieux concours témoigne bien de son infatigable énergie et de son esprit d’entrepreneuriat. Je suis fier qu’il fasse désormais partie de la communauté des diplômés de l’École de gestion John-Molson. » Au mois de mai, Olivier se voit décerner le prix du Conseil de la vie étudiante de Concordia, octroyé aux étudiants, membres du personnel ou professeurs qui on apporté une contribution exceptionnelle à la vie étudiante ou aux services aux étudiants. Il a également reçu le prix Guy-Hébert 2008-2009 accordé à un étudiant du MBA pour sa contribution à la vie étudiante. Ses projets d’avenir? Mettre ses compétences juridiques et commerciales au service d’organismes sans but lucratif. —Michael Keegan, BA 09

ulie Vaillancourt, BEng 09, est une étudiante extrêmement douée qui a pu s’offrir le luxe de choisir entre deux cursus universitaires à Concordia. Et pourtant, le souvenir le plus extraordinaire qu’elle conserve de son passage à l’Université tient à la pratique d’un sport d’équipe, le rugby. Julie fait d’abord une demande d’admission au programme de thérapie sportive de l’Université en indiquant le génie civil comme second choix. Elle est acceptée dans les deux programmes : « En me renseignant davantage sur le génie civil, j’ai constaté qu’il s’agissait d’une discipline beaucoup plus intéressante que je ne le pensais. Aujourd’hui, après quatre années d’étude dans ce domaine, je me félicite d’avoir suivi mon intuition et changé de programme. Je n’ai pas le moindre regret. » En 2005-2006, elle reçoit une bourse d’entrée du Shuffle. Pendant ses études de génie, elle figure à trois reprises sur la Liste d’honneur du doyen de la Faculté en plus de participer à de nombreuses activités en génie et de faire du bénévolat dans diverses associations. Malgré ces réussites intellectuelles, elle déclare avoir

Courtesy oF julie vaillanCourt

S’investir à fond pour en retirer beaucoup

Julie Vaillancourt au travail chez InspecSol, une firme d’ingénieurs à Brossard, au Québec.

aimé par-dessus tout jouer dans l’équipe féminine de rugby des Stingers. L’équipe remporte le championnat 2008 de la Fédération québécoise du sport étudiant : « On a commencé à la queue du classement et on a terminé en tête. Je ne trouve pas les mots pour dire combien je me sens privilégiée d’avoir pu jouer avec une équipe aussi formidable. » En novembre dernier, les championnes représentent Concordia aux championnats nationaux du SIC (Sport interuniversitaire canadien) à London, en Ontario. Julie participe également à un programme de tutorat auprès d’étudiants athlètes. Une de ses coéquipières, Jennifer Rosenbaum, admire sa polyvalence. « En classe, au travail ou sur le terrain, Julie ne fait jamais rien à moitié. Non seulement elle réussit à jongler avec ses multiples occupations, mais elle excelle dans tout ce qu’elle entreprend. C’est une des personnes les plus motivées et les plus disciplinées que j’aie jamais rencontrées. » Avec une pareille détermination, rien d’étonnant à ce que Julie Vaillancourt soit rapidement recrutée par un cabinet d’ingénieurs à Brossard, au Québec. Si elle aime beaucoup son travail chez InspecSol, ce n’est pas seulement parce qu’il se trouve sur la Rive-Sud de Montréal, d’où elle est originaire : « Je suis très heureuse ici. J’acquiers l’expérience pratique dont j’ai besoin et il ne se passe pas un jour sans que j’apprenne quelque chose », conclut-elle avec enthousiasme. —Russ Cooper Translated by Concordia Translation Services. concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 27

AssociationNews

3 toronto Chapter

Educational technology reunion

eDuCational teCHnology 40tH anniversary reunion

n June 29 and 30, more than 100 alumni, students and faculty and staff members celebrated the 40th anniversary of Concordia’s Educational Technology program. The Department of Education hosted a two-day conference June 29 and 30 on the Sir George Williams Campus. Attendees participated in more than 20 workshops and presentations about new developments in educational technology. On the evening of June 29, more than 100 guests gathered at Le Saint-Gabriel in Old Montreal for a reunion banquet. Associate Professor of Education Saul Carliner emceed the event, which featured a video presentation from 1989 made by former professor Jon Baggeley, a slide show by professor emeritus Dennis Dicks and a tribute to long-time staff member Anne Brown. Pictured at the banquet are vivek venkatesh, MA 03, PhD 08, and mindy miloff, MA 90. 1

roCk to tHe olDies witH sir george williaMs aluMni

beautiful Saturday night, June 13, saw the reunion of more than 100 Sir George Williams University alumni and their friends for a wild dance party at the Hive on Concordia’s Loyola Campus. The partiers rocked to the oldies of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s— and some showed off their best Mashed 28 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

2 rock to the Oldies

Potato (an early 1960s dance move). Performing live was retro party band Vintage Wine, featuring Concordia Music instructor Craig Morrison, PhD (humanities) 00. Steven avram, S BEng 71, MEng 85, president of the Association of Alumni of Sir George Williams University, is pictured (standing) with friends (from left to right) ady avram, mery assaraf, victor assaraf and Francine tetu. 2

CHaPters Toronto

orty-one Concordia alumni and friends living in southern Ontario visited the Peller Estates Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake June 6 to learn about the winemaking process and savour the subtle flavours and delicate nuances of various vintages. The daylong visit also included a gourmet lunch. Niagara is Canada’s premier wine-

making region and the world’s leading producer of ice wine. The Toronto Chapter held its 4th annual Jazz Brunch June 28 at the Boiler House Restaurant in the Distillery area of Toronto. Nearly 50 alumni and friends attended the always-popular brunch in the Boiler House’s designaward-winning environment, which is as comfortable as it is industrial chic. 3 Toronto Chapter members report that the food was bountiful and the music great and they are already planning next year’s event.

from left), gathered for the Tri-State Chapter’s Softball in the Big Apple event at the Central Park Great Lawn in New York City.

Calgary

he Calgary Chapter and the alumni associations of McGill and Bishop’s universities welcomed alumni July 1 to the Tailgate Party & Grey Cup Rematch. Guests enjoyed a pre-game tailgate party at the Banff Trail Community Centre and then headed to McMahon Stadium to watch the football game between the 2008 Grey Cup participants, the Montreal Alouettes and Calgary Stampeders. The Als won the game 40-27.

Tri-State

hat can be better than a beautiful summer afternoon playing softball in Central Park? On August 17, a dozen alumni and their families and friends, including Chapter President Janet Chin-Lynn, MBA 93 (following page, at left), and Vice-President russell mukofsky, BComm 07 (third concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 29

AssociationNews

Pittsburgh and North Carolina dominic Faccone, S BEng 72, is

3 toronto Chapter

Educational technology reunion

eDuCational teCHnology 40tH anniversary reunion

roCk to tHe olDies witH sir george williaMs aluMni

concordia university magazine

2 rock to the Oldies

CHaPters Toronto

Calgary

4 tri-State Chapter

from left), gathered for the Tri-State Chapter’s Softball in the Big Apple event at the Central Park Great Lawn in New York City. 4

Holdings. Build a network of friends and business partners and help advance Concordia’s name. wednesday, November 11, 2009 information: cuaa-Jordan@concordia.ca.

Save the dates for these geographic chapter events

Calgary

chairman, president and CEO of Core Furnace Systems Corp. in Pittsburgh, Penn. Dominic lives in Pittsburgh and plans to move to North Carolina in spring 2010. This August, Dominic attended the Rogers Cup tennis tournament at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal. He would like to organize a Concordia alumni event in Pittsburgh and launch a chapter in North Carolina. To get involved or for more information, contact Lina Uberti, Geographic Chapters, at Lina.Uberti@concordia.ca or 514-848-2424, ext. 4606.

upcoming chapter events or visit

Comedy Night at Loose Moose Theatre Company

alumni.concordia.ca

saturday, November 21, 2009

Toronto

Boston/New england

Pub Night with executive recruiter Cass Simons

Annual Deli Night for the whole family

Seasoned executive recruiter Cass Simons will share insider secrets to a successful career search during an interactive discussion about typical jobhunting mistakes.

Friday, october 30, 2009

California (San Francisco Bay Area)

Tri-State

Canadian Thanksgiving / Meet and Greet

Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research

saturday, october 24, 2009

saturday, october 17, 2009

5 p.m.–9 p.m.

tuesday, september 15, 2009

9:30 a.m.

crowne Plaza san Jose–downtown

6 p.m.–10 p.m.

central Park, New york city, N.y.

282 Almaden Blvd., san Jose, calif.

watch for your invitation to these

the rivoli 334 Queen st. w. (just east of spadina) rsVP by september 14 online: alumni.concordia.ca/register Phone: 1-888-777-3330

Call for Homecoming Volunteers We’re looking for volunteers for Homecoming 2009. Volunteers will welcome and usher guests, hand out promotional materials, answer event-related questions and

Tri-State

information: kendra Jiang at

staff games and contests at the following events: the football game on Saturday,

cuaa-toronto@concordia.ca

September 26; Family Fair Day on Sunday, September 27; and the abitibiBowater

lecture on Wednesday, September 30. You’ll have the opportunity to meet alumni,

Amman, Jordan Concordia alumni living in Amman, Jordan, are invited to a networking event coordinated by Rami Kamal Adwan, MBA 99, deputy CEO, Marketing and Sales, of Taameer Jordan

students and professionals, acquire new skills, gain leadership experience to add to your résumé and have a good time! We provide training. For more information, contact Valerie Roseman, alumni Officer, at valerie.roseman@concordia.ca or 514-848-2424, ext. 5647.

concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 29

AssociationNews SAVE THE DATE Commemorative convocation ceremony for Loyola College and Sir George Williams University graduates Graduates of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University are a valued part of the Concordia’s rich history. Concordia will hold a commemorative convocation ceremony to mark the historical ties between our founding institutions. Wednesday, November 18, 2009 5:30 p.m.–10 p.m. Le Royal Meridien King Edward 37 King Street E., Toronto, Ont. Keep your eyes peeled for your invitation! Info: lina.uberti@concordia.ca or 514-848-2424, ext. 4606

OTTAWA FRIENDS OF LOYOLA DINNER

NOTICE

Join us to celebrate a dream come true

is hereby given that the Concordia University Alumni Association will hold its

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Tuesday, October 13, 2009, 6 p.m.

The John Molson School of Business Alumni Chapter and the Advancement and Alumni Relations Office cordially invite you to attend the Alumni Chapter Annual General Meeting and a Cocktail during which we will celebrate the generosity of our donors: Meeting: 6 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Cocktail: 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Tours of the new John Molson School of Business building begin at 7:30 p.m. John Molson School of Business building, MB-2.210 1450 Guy St., 2nd floor, Montreal RSVP by September 8, 2009 Online: alumni.concordia.ca/register Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 4397 Toll free: 1-888-777-3330

Friday, October 16, 2009 Cocktails: 6 p.m. | Dinner: 7 p.m.

Annual

Rideau Club, 99 Bank St., 15th floor, Ottawa

In honour of David O’Brien, L BA 62, O.C., Concordia University Chancellor and Chairman of the Royal Bank of Canada and EnCana Corporation, will deliver a presentation titled “Meeting the challenges of Canadian business, starting with a degree from Loyola College.” Cost: $100 Cash Bar | Business Attire RSVP by October 9, 2009 Online: alumni.concordia.ca/register Phone: (514) 848-2424, ext. 4397 Toll free: 1-888-777-3330 Space is limited so order your tickets early! Information: Jennifer Cottin at 514-848-2424, ext. 3882

30 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

Concordia thon alow B th

Hel p us help Con cor dia stu den ts . SUN DAY , NOV EM BER 8, 200 9, at 1 p.m ✴✴✴ 2 Info rma tion : 514 -84 8-2 424 , ext . 388 on lath ow Reg iste r: alum ni.c onc ord ia.c a/b

Min imu m Pled ges:

$35 (age 16 + ) $15 (unde r 16)

Quilles G Plus

Formerly Rose Bowl 6510 St. Jacques St. W. (corner Cavendish)

Organized by the Association of Alumni of Sir George Williams University to raise money for scholarships and bursaries for Concordia students.

26th Annual General Meeting The meeting is held for the purpose of receiving reports and the election of the 2009-2010 board of directors and executive. Faculty Club Lounge, Sir George Williams Campus Henry F. Hall Building, H-763 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal RSVP by October 2, 2009 Online: alumni.concordia.ca/register Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 4397 Toll free: 1-888-777-3330

OTTAWA FRIENDS OF LOYOLA DINNER

Notices NOTICE

Join us to celebrate a dream come true

is hereby given that the Concordia University Alumni Association will hold its

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Tuesday, October 13, 2009, 6 p.m.

Friday, October 16, 2009 Cocktails: 6 p.m. | Dinner: 7 p.m.

Annual

Rideau Club, 99 Bank St., 15th floor, Ottawa

30 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

NOTICE

Concordia thon alow B th

$35 (age 16 + ) $15 (unde r 16)

The meeting is held for the purpose of receiving reports and the election of the 2009-2010 board of directors and executive. Faculty Club Lounge, Sir George Williams Campus Henry F. Hall Building, H-763 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal RSVP by October 2, 2009 Online: alumni.concordia.ca/register Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 4397 Toll free: 1-888-777-3330

Quilles G Plus

Formerly Rose Bowl 6510 St. Jacques St. W. (corner Cavendish)

Organized by the Association of Alumni of Sir George Williams University to raise money for scholarships and bursaries for Concordia students.

Call for Nominations Send your submission by November 20, 2009 All graduates, faculty and staff members, students and friends of Concordia University and its two founding institutions, Sir George Williams University and Loyola College, are invited to nominate candidates for the Concordia University Alumni Association (CUAA) Recognition Awards, the highest honour bestowed by the association. The CUAA encourages you to submit nominations for individuals who deserve to be recognized for their outstanding achievements, exceptional service to the advancement of Concordia or continued service to their community. Award recipients will be honoured at a special event in spring 2010. The awards are as follows: Humberto Santos Award of Merit This prestigious honour is awarded to an alumnus/a who has made a lifetime contribution of exceptional leadership and service to the university and community. Alumnus/a of the Year Award

SAVE THE DATE

Faculty Showcase November 7, 2009

Awarded to an alumnus/a who has demonstrated professional excellence and community leadership. Benoît Pelland Distinguished Service Award Awarded to an alumnus/a who has demonstrated a longterm commitment of outstanding service to both the alumni association and university. Honorary Life Membership

Part of the Concordia University Open House Discover how the exciting research conducted in our academic faculties influences our lives everyday. For details, visit alumni.concordia.ca

Awarded to a non-graduate who has made a long-term commitment of outstanding service to the alumni association and/or the university. Outstanding Student Award Awarded to a Concordia student who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and contributions to student life.

SAVE THE DATE

Hel p us help Con cor dia stu den ts . SUN DAY , NOV EM BER 8, 200 9, at 1 p.m ✴✴✴ 2 Info rma tion : 514 -84 8-2 424 , ext . 388 on lath ow Reg iste r: alum ni.c onc ord ia.c a/b

Min imu m Pled ges:

26 Annual General Meeting th

Alumni Recognition Awards

Loyola Public Lecture Series on Ethics in Society Concordia University will inaugurate the Loyola Public Lecture Series on Ethics in Society Wednesday, October 21, 2009 8 p.m.–9:30 p.m. Communications and Journalism Building, CJ-1.114 7141 Sherbrooke Street W., 1st floor RSVP by October 14, 2009 Online: alumni.concordia.ca/register Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 4397 Toll free: 1-888-777-3330

Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching Awarded to a member of Concordia’s teaching staff with superior knowledge, teaching ability and availability to students. MBA Alumnus/a of the Year Award Awarded by the John Molson School of Business Alumni Chapter to an MBA alumnus/a with outstanding professional achievements and who has shown dedication to both the community at large and university. Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award Awarded to a Concordia University faculty or staff member who has made an exceptional contribution to the alumni association or university community.

Visit alumni.concordia.ca/events/awards/ to complete a nomination form, or contact Jennifer Cottin at jennifer.cottin@concordia.ca or at 514-848-2424, ext. 3882.

concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 31

ClassActs Some graduates in this listing have received more than one degree from Concordia, Sir George Williams and/or Loyola. These people are listed under their earliest year of graduation.

5 0 t h Reunion

The late Brendan Emmett Foley, L BA,

earned a graduate degree at the University of Toronto and later moved to British Columbia,

where he taught in Nelson and Vancouver. Brendan passed away in 2006. His Collected Poems, which includes a brief biography, has been edited by Sjef Frenken and is now in print. For information, contact info@byte-town.ca. David Mendelson, S BA (psych. & soc.), earned an MSc from McGill University in 1961. Now

retired, David was previously executive director of Montreal’s Jewish Vocational Service (recently renamed Agence Ometz). In 2007, he published an article in the Journal of Jewish Communal Service documenting the contributions of Jewish Vocational Service professionals over the 82 years of the Journal’s publication. “By highlighting the core ideas and philosophies and the key issues and challenges addressed over the years, an historical perspective emerges on the field of Jewish vocational services in North and South America and Israel,” David explains. He was recently named chair of the Quebec Employment

Services Roundtable of Youth Employment Services in Montreal.

Lynn Gold, S BA (Eng.),

BA (anthro.) 83, lives in Montreal. “I taught English for 30 years at McGill, Loyola College and Dawson College. After retirement, I belonged to several authors’ associations and wrote stories, travel pieces and doggerel—unpublished for fear of rejection! I am now free to travel, write, read and enjoy being old, irresponsible and lazy. With decent pensions, life is good!” writes Gold, who also holds an MA from McGill University.

Rev. William (Bill) Broughton, earned a

Master of Divinity degree from McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ont., and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity 5

1 > Rochelle Mayer, BComm 83, participated in the Arts Club of Montreal’s exhibition

3 > The landscape paintings on gold and metal leaf of Paul Hunter, MFA 79, were included

called “The Juried Show” from May 29 to June 4 at Arte Bella Gallery in Montreal. Rochelle

in the opening group exhibition called “Further Than” from June 1 to September 17 at Galerie

won the Special First Prize for her work in pastel titled Un ourson attendait. She has

NuEdge in Montreal. Paul, who lives in New York City, has held many solo and group exhibitions

participated in more than 50 solo and group shows. Rochelle, who lives in LaSalle, Que., is

in galleries across Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia and his work can be found in

pursuing a BFA in Studio Art at Concordia. rochellemayer.ca 1) Un ourson attendait

private, corporate and museum collections. 3) Allegory “L”

2 > Deirdre Potash, BFA 82, is an art educator in Montreal. In 2006, Deidre created

4 > Susan Pepler, BFA 84, held an exhibition of new paintings called “A Luxurious

Art Comes to School (artwill.ca), an educational program for art history, art techniques,

Collection of Paintings” from April 16 to 30 at Carol McFarlane Design in Montreal. Susan

language arts (French and English) and math students who are urged to create individual

is a Montreal-based artist who has exhibited extensively in Canada and the United States.

pieces of art. In June, 160 students from St. Brendan Elementary School in Montreal completed

susanpepler.com 4) Silver Jug With Blue & White

a group mural. 2) The Mural 5 > Maria Jankovics, BFA (studio arts) 89, is a Montreal-based artist who has participated in more than 200 exhibitions. Maria’s artwork is part of a travelling group show

32 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

ClassActs Some graduates in this listing have received more than one degree from Concordia, Sir George Williams and/or Loyola. These people are listed under their earliest year of graduation.

5 0 t h Reunion

The late Brendan Emmett Foley, L BA,

earned a graduate degree at the University of Toronto and later moved to British Columbia,

Services Roundtable of Youth Employment Services in Montreal.

Seminary in Newburgh, Ind., both in 1986. Bill lives in Arnstein, Ont., with his wife, Bonnie. “For the past 23 years, I was a member of the clergy in both the Baptist and United Church denominations. I am now retired. I have just published a book, titled The Historical Development of Legal Apologetics with an Emphasis on the Resurrection (Xulon Press). The book, which considers the historical development of legal apologetics from the first century to the present, stresses the need to legally prove the veracity of the resurrection as the means of Christian salvation.”

4 0 t h Reunion

Lynn Gold, S BA (Eng.),

Rev. William (Bill) Broughton, earned a

Master of Divinity degree from McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ont., and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity

lives in Victoria, B.C. “I taught biology at Vanier College in Montreal until 1978 and then moved to Alberta. In 1982, I launched Atchison McTavish Management Consultants, an international management and research consulting firm in Victoria. I earned a Certified Management Consultant designation in 1993 and an MBA from Edinburgh Business School of HeriotWatt University in Edinburgh in 2008. I am passionately committed to sustainability and triple-bottom-line accounting

and its application to new venture conceptualization, business strategy, operations and business processes.” atchisonmctavish.com

Pramode Verma,

S PhD (elec. eng.) 70, is the Williams Chair in Telecommunications Networking and director of the Telecommunications Engineering Program at the University of Oklahoma– Tulsa. In April, Pramode was elected as a senior fellow of the International

Telecommunications Education and Research Association at its annual conference in Atlanta, Ga. He holds an MBA from University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia’s Wharton School.

Mark David Gerson,

BComm, took home a silver medal in the writing/ publishing category at the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) in May for The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write (LightLines Media). Distilled from Mark David’s 33 years as a professional writer and editor and 16 years as a writing teacher and coach, The Voice of the Muse is a blend of inspiration and instruction for

Brad Atchison, S BSc

(biol.) earned an MSc in Zoology from the University of British Columbia in 1971 and

5 7

1 > Rochelle Mayer, BComm 83, participated in the Arts Club of Montreal’s exhibition

3 > The landscape paintings on gold and metal leaf of Paul Hunter, MFA 79, were included

called “Re:InSitu” by the Canadian-Hungarian Artists’ Collective. The show exhibited at

screened in June at the Artists’ Television Access film and video gallery in San Francisco.

called “The Juried Show” from May 29 to June 4 at Arte Bella Gallery in Montreal. Rochelle

in the opening group exhibition called “Further Than” from June 1 to September 17 at Galerie

Museum Malom in Szentendre, Hungary, from July 2 to August 23, and runs from September 5

Ilinca lives in Paris. ilincabalaban.com 7) Untitled

won the Special First Prize for her work in pastel titled Un ourson attendait. She has

NuEdge in Montreal. Paul, who lives in New York City, has held many solo and group exhibitions

to November 15 at Helikon Kastély Museum in Kesztely, Hungary. 5) The Couple

participated in more than 50 solo and group shows. Rochelle, who lives in LaSalle, Que., is

in galleries across Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia and his work can be found in

pursuing a BFA in Studio Art at Concordia. rochellemayer.ca 1) Un ourson attendait

private, corporate and museum collections. 3) Allegory “L”

8 > Khadija Baker, BFA (painting & drawing) 07, held an exhibit called “Behind Walls” 6 > Momoko Allard, MFA 07, held an exhibition of photographs titled “Solitary Crowding”

from September 4 to October 4, 2008, at the MAI gallery in Montreal. For the exhibit, Khadija

from July 13 to August 7 at Concordia’s FOFA Gallery. Momoko shot the series on commuter

invited visitors to walk through a web-like structure of woven threads while listening to fragments of interviews conducted with Kurds who live in Montreal and abroad. On August

2 > Deirdre Potash, BFA 82, is an art educator in Montreal. In 2006, Deidre created

4 > Susan Pepler, BFA 84, held an exhibition of new paintings called “A Luxurious

trains during several stays in Tokyo, her mother’s hometown, between 2004 and 2009.

Art Comes to School (artwill.ca), an educational program for art history, art techniques,

Collection of Paintings” from April 16 to 30 at Carol McFarlane Design in Montreal. Susan

Momoko, who grew up in Moncton, N.B., holds a BA from the University of British Columbia.

8, she screened her short art video, Memory/Traces, at an exhibition called “Simply Screen:

language arts (French and English) and math students who are urged to create individual

is a Montreal-based artist who has exhibited extensively in Canada and the United States.

momokoallard.com 6) Stripes

Inbetweeners of Asia” at Tanzfabrik in Berlin, Germany. Khadija is a native of the Kurdish town

pieces of art. In June, 160 students from St. Brendan Elementary School in Montreal completed

susanpepler.com 4) Silver Jug With Blue & White

a group mural. 2) The Mural

32 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

of Amoude, Syria. She earned a BFA in 1996 and a master’s degree in Interior Design in 1999 7 > Ilinca Balaban, BFA (studio arts) 97, was among 61 artists selected from more than

from the University of Damascus in Syria. She has exhibited in Canada, Europe and the Middle

5 > Maria Jankovics, BFA (studio arts) 89, is a Montreal-based artist who has

1,200 applicants to be part of the juried exhibition called “Jeune Creation” from November

East. khajybaker.com 8) From “Behind Walls” (credit: Guy l’Heureux)

participated in more than 200 exhibitions. Maria’s artwork is part of a travelling group show

4 to 8 at galerie Centquatre in Paris. Ilinca’s short video, Where time is the Protagonist, was

concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 33

writers. This was Mark David’s second IPPY. He won a gold medal in 2008 for his novel, The MoonQuest: A True Fantasy (LightLines Media). Mark David has also recorded The Voice of the Muse Companion: Guided Meditations for Writers, a two-CD set that includes powerful exercises deepen creative flow. Mark David is a native Montrealer who now lives in Albuquerque, N.M., where he’s currently working on a sequel to The MoonQuest.

Patrick Nepomuceno,

BSc (comp. sci.), lives in North Vancouver, B.C. “I am a full-time, stay-athome dad with two children. In my spare time, I take on web administration projects for a select clientele.”

Daniel Hachey, BSc,

was named in July as chairman and director of a new amalgamated company, likely to be called AusPotash Limited (the name is subject to TSX VENTURE Exchange approval). Daniel is president and CEO of Greenwich Global Capital Inc., a capital pool company based in Oakville, Ont. He holds an MBA from McGill University.

and New York State. She is also an accredited mediator in Quebec’s Kahnawake Mohawk community. “I am privileged to practice family and community law by incorporating the emerging fields of mediation, collaborative law and restorative justice as alternative to adversarial litigation. I can provide equality, stability and peace for children, extended families and community. A McGill University professor from Six Nations described my role as similar to the traditional clan mother (whose work, in my opinion, is more difficult).” professional@allstream.net

Alfred Ronnenberger, S BComm 55 (picture above, left),

2 5 t h Reunion

Yvonne Callaway Smith, BA, MA 91,

EMBA 92, lives in PointeClaire, Que., and teaches public relations at McGill University. Yvonne is president of the Montreal Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. She is currently preparing for a 60-work, group art exhibition in May 2010.

Pasquale De Civita, BComm Martha Montour, BA

(community nursing), holds a law degree from McGill University and has been called to the Bar in Quebec

(acct.), lives in Saint Laurent, Que. “I earned a Diploma in Public Accountancy from McGill University in 1989. Subsequently, I obtained

Horace Goddard, BA (Eng.) 75,

received an honorary diploma June 18 from the Université de Montréal’s départment d’Études anglaises at its Arts and Science Convocation. Horace received the honour for outstanding academic achievement and community service. He is director of Community Services for the English Montreal School Board. Horace is pictured (at right) with his grandson, Isaiah Goddard.

34 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

and Arwed Ulrich “Rick” Koch, S BComm 55, S BSc 58 (above, right), met on May 19 in Hildesheim, Germany, to celebrate the 54 years that have passed since they graduated from Sir George Williams University. Alfred lives in Brighton, Ont., and runs his own computer software company, Ronnenberger Computing Inc. Rick lives with his wife, Helga, in Edewecht, Germany. He works on research projects for the German Dendrological Society and other groups.

professional designations as a Chartered Accountant (1991), Certified Public Accountant (1997) and Certified Internal Auditor (2000). I have returned to Concordia to judge in both the John Molson Undergraduate Case Competition and the John Molson MBA International Case Competition. In 1997, I

started my own practice, called De Civita Haubenreisser, in Saint Laurent. We provide professional services to local companies and subsidiaries of European companies established or setting up in Canada in the pulp and paper, petroleum, wind energy and high-tech industries. My wife, Christine, and I married in 2003 and have a six-year-old son, Konrad.” Patricia Moser-Stern,

MBA (bus. admin.), runs i3 advantage, a Toronto-based supply management and procurement consulting firm, and lives in Markham, Ont. In May, Patricia’s book, 1 Piece of Advice (1 Piece of Advice, 2008), was the co-recipient of a bronze medal in the Women’s Issues category at the 2009 Independent Book Publisher Awards. Co-written with her cousin, Barbara Moser, the book tells the stories of 48 successful women from around the world.

Patrick Nepomuceno,

BSc (comp. sci.), lives in North Vancouver, B.C. “I am a full-time, stay-athome dad with two children. In my spare time, I take on web administration projects for a select clientele.”

Daniel Hachey, BSc,

(community nursing), holds a law degree from McGill University and has been called to the Bar in Quebec

(TESL), was elected in November 2008 as a Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation commissioner. Stuart, who represents the Green Party, also is a special education teacher at Killarney Secondary School in Vancouver. Michael Whiteman, BA (hist.), recently became associate dean for Information Resources at

and the way technology has affected the practice of law.

Sheryl King, BA (econ.),

was appointed in May as head of Canadian Economics and Investment Strategy for Banc of America SecuritiesMerrill Lynch Research, Bank of America’s Toronto-based, investment banking subsidy. Sheryl had been a senior United States economist at Merrill Lynch since 2004.

Alfred Ronnenberger, S BComm 55 (picture above, left),

2 5 t h Reunion

Yvonne Callaway Smith, BA, MA 91,

(acct.), lives in Saint Laurent, Que. “I earned a Diploma in Public Accountancy from McGill University in 1989. Subsequently, I obtained

Horace Goddard, BA (Eng.) 75,

34 | fall 2009

Stuart Mackinnon, BEd

professional@allstream.net

Pasquale De Civita, BComm Martha Montour, BA

concordia university magazine

Bob Dubeau, S BA 67, received the Austin-Matthews Award, which is presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to varsity sport, at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport annual awards held June 10. In 2005, Bob retired as McGill University’s director of Athletics after 29 years. André Desmarais, BComm 78,

LLD 07, was named an Officer of the Order of Quebec in May for his business and philanthropic contributions. André is president and co-CEO of Power Corporation Canada Ltd. He was an honorary patron of Concordia’s Campaign for a New Millennium from 1996 to 1999. Pasha Malla, MA 05, won Ontario’s

Robin Hornstein, BA (comm. studies) 81, MBA 89, is

president and CEO of Corporate Dragon Programs, Inc. “I developed a methodology that helps corporate teams work together more productively and effectively through the challenges of dragon boating. I am a professional opera singer by training. In 1997, I founded Two Abreast, a competitive, recreational dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors (twoabreast.ca). This exposed me first-hand to the dramatic effect dragon boat training and racing can have on individuals and, ultimately, organizational teams. I went on to develop, perfect and apply a particular approach to team building in the private sector, leading to the current success of Corporate Dragon.” Robin is pictured (in the centre) on a dragon boat, at the Olympic Basin in 2007 at Montreal’s Île Notre Dame.

Patricia Moser-Stern,

Kudos

the Florida International University College of Law in Miami. Michael is responsible for the law library’s operations and helps coordinate and teach research in the Legal Skills and Values program. He has been working in law libraries since 1994, when he started as an evening legal reference librarian at the Boston College School of Law. Michael’s research focuses on distance education

Shane Simmons, BA (journ.),

won a 2009 Writers Guild of Canada award for screenwriting at an awards ceremony held in April in Toronto. Shane’s teleplay called “The Perfect Family,” for the show Ricky Sprocket, Showbiz Boy, clinched the top spot in the animation category. Ricky Sprocket is the latest project from David Fine and Alison Snowden, the Oscar-winning creators of the animated series Bob and Margaret. The show currently

Trillium Prize for English-language fiction in June for his debut collection of short fiction, The Withdrawal Method (Anansi, 2008). The prize is worth $20,000. The book also won the Writers’ Union of Canada’s Danuta Gleed Literary Award in May. Pasha’s short story, Filmsong, picked up an Arthur Ellis Award in June from the Crime Writers of Canada.

airs on Teletoon in Canada and Nickelodeon around the world. shanesimmons.com

for the Union Montréal Party. He is married and has four children.

Lionel Perez, BA (poli. sci.), holds law degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School and the Université de Montréal. Lionel practiced law for several years before cofounding CorporationCentre. ca, one of Canada’s leading online, legal-document, filing services firms. In 2008, Lionel was named one of L’actualité magazine’s Les leaders de la croissance and CorporationCentre.ca was ranked by Profit magazine as one of Canada’s 100 fastest growing companies. Lionel recently announced that he will run for Montreal City Council for the Darlington District in Côte-des-Neiges– Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

Daniel Lawee, BA,

joined Prisma Capital Partners LP of New York City in June as a portfolio manager of fixed income, volatility and reinsurance. Prisma Capital Partners LP is a New York City-based investment firm. Before joining Prisma, Daniel served as a portfolio manager at Northwater Capital Management.

1 5 t h Reunion

Ajay M. Pangarkar,

BComm (int’l. bus. & fin.), is president and lead performance strategist for CentralKnowledge Inc. in Laval, Que. Ajay and co-author Teresa Kirkwood have published their third book, titled The Trainer’s

concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 35

Katrin Leblond, BFA 97, is owner of Boutique Katrin Leblond in

Montreal. After graduating, Katrin completed a fashion design internship with Katherine Shakelford in New York City. She also studied sewing and patternmaking at LaSalle College in Montreal, jewellery design at the École de joaillerie de Montréal and Small Business Management at Concordia. In 2006, Katrin launched Katrin Leblond Design. In 2007, she opened Katrin Leblond boutique, which features women’s wear, bedding and accessories. “I dress artists, musicians, circus performers and Montreal women. Our clothes are known for their artistic use of colour, as well as the romantic but determinedly contemporary nature of the styles.” Pictured (at left) is a model wearing one of Katrin’s dress designs. katrinleblond.com

Balanced Scorecard: A Complete Resource for Linking Learning to Organizational Strategy (Pfeiffer), which offers advice on how to effectively manage employees’ performances and on organizational strategies. Ajay lives in Laval.

Division. Conifer Securities is a New York City-based hedge fund service provider and prime broker. Yann was previously executive director, Prime Brokerage Business Development, with Morgan Stanley in New York City.

Vera Roy, BA (Eng. lit.),

is a legal translator in Montreal. “After graduating from Concordia, I taught English as a second language in South Korea and then at McGill University. In 2001, I became a full-time student again, this time in McGill’s Faculty of Law. I graduated in 2005 and have been working as a legal translator since 2004, translating judgments of the Court of Quebec, Court of Appeal and Superior Court of Quebec.”

Arthur Renwick, MFA (studio art), grew up in Kitamaat, B.C., the ancestral home of the aboriginal

Haisla people. Arthur is now a Toronto-based artist and musician and is an assistant professor of Studio Art at the University of Guelph in Ontario.

Robert Mancini,

BComm (fin.), earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix in Arizona in 2005 and also holds Convergence Technologies Professional and Information Capture

1 0 t h Reunion

Natalie Andres, BSc

(exer. sci.), joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in Calgary, Alta., in 2008 as the Canadian industry marketing manager for Energy and Natural Resources. “On July 15, we launched our 2009 Canadian Energy Survey. It sheds light on some industry issues and provides insight as to how energy companies need to adapt in the future.” Yann Lalande, BA (poli. sci.)

96, joined Conifer Securities in June as director of Managed Accounts in the company’s Business Development 36 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

Program certifications. Robert has worked in the banking industry since 1991. After leaving the Bank of Montreal as director of Operations in 1998, he worked at the U.S. Bank’s Treasury Management group as VP of Product Development and at Wells Fargo as VP in the Wholesale Internet Treasury Solutions group. “I just accepted a position at Union Bank in Los Angeles, Calif., where I will be VP, Product Management. I will lead commercial product development in treasury management products, establish a strategic product road map and build partnerships with other financial institutions and technology firms.”

Tejas Vyas, MCSc 05, is a software consultant for Hidden Reflex in Mumbai. “After I completed my master’s at Concordia, I immediately returned to my home country, India. The experience in Concordia and Canada taught me a lot—I am a different person than I was before. That has allowed me to be part of Hidden Reflex, a small software start-up. Our first web product, which is called Uzvy (uzvy.com), focuses on internet networking via groups.” Tejas is pictured in December 2008 in front of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. “I was backpacking in the Himalayas and, before heading home, planned my trip to witness this marvel.”

Claude Rochon, BA (Fr. studies & transl.), is a sixth grade homeroom teacher at Mazapan School in La Ceiba, Honduras. “I’ve been living here and teaching for 10 years. I’ve taught at all levels, from elementary to secondary to university. I love it here!” Scott Speirs, BA (Eng. lit.), and Ilinca Balaban, BFA 97

(studio arts), married in June 2006 and live in Paris. Scott works with the real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle and Ilinca is pursuing her art on a full-time basis (see page 33).

Katrin Leblond, BFA 97, is owner of Boutique Katrin Leblond in

Vera Roy, BA (Eng. lit.),

Arthur Renwick, MFA

(studio art), grew up in Kitamaat, B.C., the ancestral home of the aboriginal

Haisla people. Arthur is now a Toronto-based artist and musician and is an assistant professor of Studio Art at the University of Guelph in Ontario.

Robert Mancini,

BComm (fin.), earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix in Arizona in 2005 and also holds Convergence Technologies Professional and Information Capture

Natalie Andres, BSc

concordia university magazine

Erin Riggs, BA (comm. Studies) 00, joined Dicentra Inc. in July as a consumer and public relations associate. Dicentra is a Toronto-based, naturalhealth products consulting company. Erin will spearhead Dicentra’s new Bilingual Consumer Response service. Over the past 11 years, she held numerous customer service and managerial roles in the retail, finance, telecommunications and tourism industries.

Erika Jacinto, MBA (bus. admin.), recently bought a house in Brossard, Que. “I am getting married on September 12 in mystical Cusco, Peru! I’m still working for Bombardier Aerospace but have changed positions once again. I was in a human resources role for the last year and am now a continuous improvement advisor, supporting the Business Aircraft division to make the cultural transformation program a reality.”

Antoine Labranche, BA (hist.)

09, is a Second Lieutenant Canadian Air Force pilot working with the 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in Saint-Hubert, Que. He is a former member of Concordia’s cross-country running team. “I write to you as I am about to depart on my second mountaineering expedition, part of my goal of reaching the highest summits of the seven continents. Having climbed Kilimanjaro in Africa (5,892 metres), I am now planning my second summit, Mont Elbrus. At an altitude of 5,642 metres, it is the highest point in Europe and located in the Caucasus Mountains on the border of Georgia and Russia. I will be leaving for this ascent in early August 2009. The road towards reaching the seven summits is both long and challenging and each mountain climbed is a step closer to my ultimate goal—Everest.” Antoine is photographed (above, left) atop Mount Kilimanjaro displaying his Concordia and Stingers colours. He is raising funds for his quest and hopes to finish climbing the seven peaks in three years. antoinelabranche@gmail.com

Mylène Dinh-Robic,

BA (comm. studies), is a cast member in the Torontomade television drama, The Listener, which premiered on CTV and NBC in May. Mylène

New job? Just moved? Just married? Or just want to let your former classmates know what you’ve been up to? Visit

1 0 t h Reunion

alumni.concordia.ca/keepintouch

Or mail or email us any information about yourself—don’t be shy— you’d like to appear in Class Acts.

(studio arts), married in June 2006 and live in Paris. Scott works with the real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle and Ilinca is pursuing her art on a full-time basis (see page 33).

Please include: your name (including name at graduation); year(s) of graduation and degree(s) from Concordia, Loyola or Sir George, and other universities; street address, phone number(s) and email address; and any other relevant personal or business info and messages that you’d like to appear. By email: alumni@alcor.concordia.ca Subject: Class Acts By mail: Class Acts, Advancement & Alumni Relations, Concordia University, 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. West, FB-520, Montreal, QC H3G 1M8 Join the the Concordia University Alumni association LinkedIn group group at alumni.concordia.ca/benefits/olc.

plays Dr. Olivia Fawcett, a key supporting role. She was profiled June 1 in an article titled “The language of luck” in the Montreal Gazette. Marieke Dufresne, BA (child studies), worked as a pre-kindergarten teacher for three and a half years and, in 2005, entered the nursing program at Dawson College in Montreal. “I earned my Registered Nurse licence in 2008. I am now working at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and plan to pursue my BScN in the near future. In my spare time, I volunteer on a message board for those with transverse myelitis (a neurological disorder caused by inflammation of the spinal cord) and other demyelinating disorders.” Vanessa Sicotte, BComm

(mktg.), runs Montrealbased Damask et Dentelle. The company “merges my passion for both decorating and architecture with my entrepreneurial genes. It is a perfect example of how the web can offer independent retailers the visibility that, traditionally, only a showcase could. We

offer consumers and young designers an online directory— specific to the design industry— that’s complete, local and free and through which they can save on the presentation of a low-cost card,” writes Vanessa. damasketdentelle.blogspot.com

Jeff Richard, BFA (integrative music studies), is a jazz musician based in his hometown, Moncton, N.B. While living in Montreal, Jeff formed a big band that specialized in the music of Duke Ellington. After returning to Moncton, Jeff created the group Fous Tziganes, which focuses on the compositions of Charles Mingus. Manuel Verreydt, BFA 03,

is a Toronto-based comedian and actor. Manuel, a native of Belgium, holds a diploma from the École internationale de théâtre Lassaad de Bruxelles. In 2001, he founded the Montreal-based theatrical company Renegade Productions. Manuel recently moved to Toronto and has appeared in several plays at the Théâtre français de Toronto.

concordia university magazine fall 2009 | 37

InMemoriam

Soufiane Mebtoul,

BCSc, lives in Sterling, Va. Soufiane leads the architectural design and implementation of the Records Management and Compliance Technologies at the Federal National Mortgage Association, commonly known as Fannie Mae, in Washington, D.C.

Tamara Scherbak, BFA (film production), is one of 25 emerging filmmakers who was chosen to be part of the Toronto International Film Festival Talent Lab in September 2009. Her new film, Recycle, Reuse, Remix, will premiere in October at the 2009 Pop Montreal Festival.

Dr. Adolphe Légaré, L BA 49, died September 25, 2008, in Montreal. Adolphe’s medical career spanned four decades. He worked at the Lakeshore General Hospital in Montreal’s West Island and at many health clinics. From 1984 until several years ago, Adolphe was the team doctor at John Abbott College in Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que. He is survived by his wife, Paddy, and his sons, Michael and Mark. Adolphe was 85.

James W. Lindsay, S BSc 55, died on July 1 in Montreal. James was a lifelong, active Scout and a member of the Knights of Tamara, the honour society at Tamaracouta Scout Reserve in Quebec. He is survived by his daughters, Susan and Nancy.

Morton Cohen, S BA 57,

Heather Markgraf, BFA 92, is artistic director of Theatre

Panache, a non-profit theatre company, and runs Hudson Productions, which hires actors to train customs officers at the Rigaud Learning Centre in Rigaud, Que. In 2005-06, Heather produced and directed the musical Till We Meet Again by David Langlois. The show toured Toronto and Ottawa and ran for three weeks at Concordia’s D.B. Clarke Theatre. “We are remounting Till We Meet Again and it will be performed October 16 to 18 and November 22 to 23 at Concordia’s Oscar Peterson Concert Hall on the Loyola Campus. We will also take the show, with a full union cast and professional support team, for a six-week tour to Ottawa and Toronto. Till We Meet Again, a musical set in the 1940s, is about love, hope and connections during the Second World War. I again will direct and produce. Rick Fitzgerald, BComm 78, is the executive producer and Daveen Garland, BFA 00, is the stage manager.” Pictured above are Till We Meet Again cast members Stephanie McNamara, Amanda Leblanc and Kathleen McAuliffe in 2006 at Concordia’s D.B. Clarke Theatre.

38 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

died June 29 in Cleveland, Ohio. Morton was a chartered financial analyst and held an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He was the chairman and CEO of Clarion Capital Corp., a small business investment company in Beachwood, Ohio. Morton was a member of several boards and the author of numerous financial articles that appeared in Barron’s, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal and other publications. He is survived by his children, Joanne, Margaret and Carl. Morton was 74.

Edward Baluch, S BA 62, died on June 29 in Montreal. Ed was a dedicated teacher and principal and spent much of his career at Marymount and St. Pius X high schools in Montreal. He is survived by his wife, Jennie, and his children, Debbie, Ron, Julie and John. Kendall Allyn Cleveland, S BA 68, died July 3 in Oliver, B.C. Ken was active on the Sir George Williams University student council and the university radio station. He

worked for the Canadian National Railway for 35 years and also volunteered with the RCMP. He is survived by his former wife, Camilla d’Hondt, and his children, Mark, BComm 94, MSc 00, PhD 06, Jeffrey, BA 02, and Todd. Ken was 71.

Father Louis Van Gool, BA 75, died June 25 in Montreal. Born in Utrecht, Netherlands, Fr. Louis moved to Montreal with his family as a child and eventually became an actuary. In 1972, when he was in his mid 30s, he entered the Pope John XXIII Seminary in Weston, Mass., then studied theology at Concordia and finished his training at Le Grand séminaire de Montréal. Ordained a priest in 1976, Fr. Louis served as a curate at St. Jean Brebeuf, St. Gabriel’s and St. John Fisher in Montreal. In 1984, he was named pastor at Corpus Christi Church in Senneville, Que., where he remained for 18 years, carrying out his priestly duties and ministering to the socially marginalized, including AIDS patients. He was 76.

Clement Langemeyer, MBA 86, died June 19 in Ottawa. Clement was a McGill University Engineering graduate and a past president of the McGill Alumni Society of Ottawa. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Marie-Lyne Bourassa, and his children, Clement Philippe, Andrea and Claudia. Clement was 50.

Adrienne O’RourkeHudspeth, BA 88, died on June 23 in Kingston, Ont. Adrienne had worked at Air Canada, Air France and Canadian Marconi. In 1968, while at Canadian Marconi, she co-founded the Canadian Business Travel Association (originally called the Montreal Passenger Traffic Association). She is survived by her brother, John. Adrienne was 88.

InMemoriam

Soufiane Mebtoul,

Tamara Scherbak, BFA

(film production), is one of 25 emerging filmmakers who was chosen to be part of the Toronto International Film Festival Talent Lab in September 2009. Her new film, Recycle, Reuse, Remix, will premiere in October at the 2009 Pop Montreal Festival.

Morton Cohen, S BA 57,

Heather Markgraf, BFA 92, is artistic director of Theatre

38 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

CONCORDIA ALUMNI TRAVEL PROGRAM 2010 An adventure of a lifetime If you are a Concordia University graduate, we invite you to take part in our exciting alumni travel program and revel in the cultural and educational experiences it offers. Explore the glory of ancient Greece and Turkey, experience an African safari or join an alumni campus abroad in Argentina or Italy.

Antiquities of the Nile Valley and the Red Sea January 13-23, 2010 From $5,125* Cruise the Panama Canal January 23-February 3, 2010

From $3,745*

Tanzania Safari during the Great Migration January 24–February 3, 2010 From $6,395* Expedition to Antarctica February 9–22, 2010 From $6,895* Alumni Campus Abroad: Argentina March 24-April 3, 2010 From $2,995* Cruising the Canary Islands, Madeira, Morocco and Gibraltar April 8-16, 2010 From $3,330* Ireland Grand Journey May 21-June 2, 2010 From $4,095* Alumni Campus Abroad: Tuscany, Cortona June 30-July 8, 2010 From $2,895* Iceland: The Land of Fire and Ice July 28-August 5, 2010 From $4,095* Cruise the Passage of Peter the Great August 7-19, 2010 From $4,095* Island Life: Ancient Greece and Turkey August 29-September 6, 2010 From $3,840* For more information or to be added to the travel program mailing list, visit alumni.concordia.ca/travel or contact the Alumni Services and Marketing coordinator at alumnitravel@concordia.ca or 514-848-2424, ext. 3819. * Prices are per person based on double occupancy and do not include airfare.

alumni.concordia.ca/travel

EnoughSaid

Alumni network pays off B y s t E P h A N d E P é N A s s E , BA (EcoN.) 78

osing a job is a dramatic experience, as I recently learned. Fortunately, I was able to land back on my feet thanks, in good part, to my Concordia University Alumni Association (CUAA) network. One cold morning in early November 2008, I was informed that, due to economic reasons, my employment at Segway Inc. was terminated. Segway, of Bedford, N.H., manufactures a twowheel transportation vehicle called the Segway Personal Transporter (PT). I had worked in many capacities since July 2001 (before the PT’s unveiling to the world). I developed the company’s global shipping logistics, worked on its classifications, had record sales for five consecutive quarters and received the President’s Award for Excellence in 2005. I was responsible for establishing the distributorship bases for Asia, Latin America and parts of Africa. One of my highlights included setting up a distributorship in Hong Kong for film star Jackie Chan, with whom I’ve since become friends. I had helped Segway make history but when they laid me off, I thought, “I am history.” I collected my personal belongings and headed home for a comforting hug from my wife. After the shock wore off, I notified my friends. I also contacted Lina Uberti, alumni officer, Geographic Chapters, at Concordia’s Advancement and Alumni Relations Office in Montreal. Lina strongly urged me to tap into my Concordia network. The first responses came from the CUAA’s Boston/New England Chapter members: Denis Kefallinos, BEng 91; Michael Thompson, S BComm 68, S MBA 74; and Jeffrey Davis,

Stephan de Pénasse used his alumni association network to job hunt and land a new position.

BA 78. Denis, Chapter president, is an executive solutions engineer for business software giant SAP in Waltham, Mass. He shared that he, too, had lived through a company downsizing and discussed the “motions” (read: emotions) I was experiencing. Denis boosted my confidence when he assured me that today’s economy often forces companies

I quickly learned that while you can have all the talent in the world, you still have to be driven and motivated to land the right position. And searching the internet has to be combined with initiative, discipline and due diligence. I revised my résumé, prepared a cover letter, researched organizations, found online job search engines and—above all—networked. Within four months, I found a new position. I responded to a posting by Yakima Products Inc. through a paid, online service site. After conducting thorough research into the company and following up with phone calls and letters, I was hired as Yakima’s international sales director. The company had received 770 applicants! Yakima (yakima.com) is a world leader in the design and manufacture of cargo equipment for outdoor enthusiasts and others. It is headquartered in Beaverton, Ore., but I work out of my home office in Nashua, N.H., when I’m not globetrotting. Once my position was confirmed, I felt it was important to share my good news with my alumni friends and thank them for their efforts. I emailed them the following missive: “I am happy to announce today I accepted an offer to work for an organization that wants to expand their products globally. It’s an exciting venture and I look forward to this challenge. I wanted to thank all of those who have passed on my résumé to your peers and organizations. I truly appreciate your efforts, proof that networking is the best solution to help someone get back in the work force.”

i had helped segway make history but when they laid me off, i thought, “i am history.”

40 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

to cut staff, regardless of competencies and performances. Jeffrey, who is chairman and founder of Mage LLC, a business consulting firm in Newton, Mass., provided suggestions and support through his business network. Michael is principal at Thompson Associates, an export management company in Marblehead, Mass. He recommended books, such as What Color is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers, which I read, along with other literature about how to make myself more marketable to prospective employers.

In March 2010, Stephan de Pénasse will deliver a networking seminar to the Boston/ New England Chapter.

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EnoughSaid

Alumni network pays off B y s t E P h A N d E P é N A s s E , BA (EcoN.) 78

Stephan de Pénasse used his alumni association network to job hunt and land a new position.

i had helped segway make history but when they laid me off, i thought, “i am history.”

40 | fall 2009

concordia university magazine

In March 2010, Stephan de Pénasse will deliver a networking seminar to the Boston/ New England Chapter.

Alumni

Term life insurAnce

What will life teach you?

Underwritten by:

manulife.com/concordiamag The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company

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